Across the Sea
by Sword and Soul
Summary: Sequel to Return to Ohtori. Two Princes have left the lands where Ohtori Academy once stood. Their mission, free the Land Across the Sea. Utena, Anthy, Saionji, and their new friends from Return to Ohtori team up to face new foes, and the return of Akio!
1. A Celebration of Birth

Revolutionary Girl Utena

Across the Sea

Once upon a time, there were two Princes, who met in a fallen kingdom. They battled side by side, driving out the darkness that had dwelt in the kingdom, and becoming close friends, and even closer. The first Prince was the daughter of that ancient place, the second, a no name Prince from across the sea.

Having defeated the darkness with their friends, they rested awhile in their new home. But the no name Prince longed to return to his own kingdom, to free it from the tyranny of his evil family. Determined and ready, they set sail for the distant land, ready to take back what had been robbed of him. Little did they know, another had designs of his own for them and their world...

Chapter 1

A Celebration of Birth

"Nemo, Nemo, are you in there?" The young lady knocked upon the door of Nemo's cabin. Tired of knocking, she pulled the door open, looking into the darkened room. Under her feet, the sailing ship pitched and rocked with the waves of a stormy sea, but she was used to it by now. They had been on the water for over a week, sailing to the Kingdom Across the Sea.

As her eyes pierced the gloom, Utena could see the young man sitting next to a large, segmented glass window at the far end of the small cabin, staring out over the stern of the sailing ship. Even in the dark she could recognize him, not quite tall, broad shouldered, with short auburn hair. He turned to look at her, his forest green eyes sending a throbbing beat into her heart.

For a moment Utena became lost in them, and the young man who looked at her. _Ever since that day, we've been the best of friends, and more._ She stood there, her cheeks beginning to flush at the thought of his touch.

"Utena?" A hand rested on her shoulder, drawing her eyes up. Nemo had risen, walked up to her, and shaken her gently. Even more embarrassed, she tried to recover her composure. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Um, yeah, just fine." She tried to answer hastily, raising her hands in front of her, drawing a smile from the young Prince. "I was just coming to see how you were doing, you know, since you've been so quiet lately."

Looking to the side, Nemo tried to avoid her questioning blue eyes, his own feelings growing. He didn't want to throw his problems at her, or drag her down with his growing sense of depression. He wanted to tell her desperately how he felt, and how he was haunted with his own lack of memory, but how could he explain it?

Glancing back at her, he found himself caught up in her eyes, longing to sink into them forever. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, not unusual in height, but well formed, her bubblegum pink hair spilling down past her shoulders, ending in little half-curls just above her maturing chest. Realizing he had stared too long, he whirled around, trying to keep his face from showing the growing red.

Bump, bump! Bump, bump! A rhythm beat in the hall, drawing both of their attention to a small blue creature walking down the hall on his hind legs, pounding a big band drum with a pair of drumsticks. He was something of a monkey crossed with a mouse, a small yellow and red striped tie hanging about his neck. Pounding a vigorous tattoo on the drum that seemed to match the beating of the two Prince's hearts, he waddled up to where they stood.

"Chu chu!" The little creature squeaked, holding out it's tiny hand to Utena.

"Hello Chu Chu." Utena said with a soft laugh that reminded Nemo of the ringing of small bells. "Does Anthy want us for something?"

"Chu!" Chu Chu proclaimed, pointing down the hall towards the deck with his little drumstick.

Utena and Nemo followed the little creature out to the rainy deck, where a small tent had been set up over the back half of the ship's deck. A small table sat at the foot of the nearest mast, a covered silver platter sitting on it. On either side stood Anthy Himemia, Saionji Kyouichi, Ragnarok the Wolf, and Ryan, the Sword Bearer.

"Surprise!" They said in unison as Anthy pulled away the platter top, revealing a large cake, topped by white and pink frosting. Written in swirling letters, it read: Happy Birthday Utena, and was surrounded by eighteen candles that danced in the strong sea wind.

Pulling a small string, Ryan released a banner that hung across the tent, the same message set upon it in blue. They all smiled, laughing as Nemo urged Utena up to her cake amid happy protests from the birthday girl.

"Hey, no! Don't push me! Nemo!" She laughed out her protest, still struggling as Saionji and Ryan took her by the hands, all three of them guiding her up to the cake. Looking squarely at Anthy, Utena gave a mock scowl. "I knew something was up when you insisted I go see Nemo!"

Anthy Himemia smiled, her long purple hair blowing out around her slender, dusky skinned face. "I couldn't have you see us bringing out your cake, Utena. If you did, this wouldn't have made a very good surprise."

"Thank you everyone. You really didn't need to go through all this trouble." Utena looked about at the assembled group, a smile on her face. "I just hope you didn't let Anthy cook the cake. I would hate to find myself covered in fur, or in a boy's body."

Saionji and Anthy burst into tearful laughter at the comment, leaving Nemo, Ryan, and Ragnarok looking utterly confused. Wiping away a merry tear, Utena grinned at the others. "It's a long story, so I'll save it for once we get inside."

"Well we best hurry, the storm looks like it's going to get worse before better." Saionji said in response, looking out to sea while holding a mast rope. He had developed a bit of a nautical flair since they had begun to sail.

"Come on, let's get your cake inside before it gets waterlogged." Ryan picked up the cake, carrying it inside.

"You heard the man, the birthday girl shouldn't try to get sick on her special day, now should she." Nemo said with a grin, scooping her up into his strong arms.

"Hey, put me down!" She protested, but a hint of her smile told a different story.

"Okay, but only once it's dry." Nemo replied, carrying her skillfully across the pitching deck, and into the safety of the cabins.

***

"-and then Saionji took a bite of the curry, and poof! He and Chu Chu switched bodies, isn't that right, Chu Chu?" Anthy's recount of the story brought on another series of amused laughs from her friends while Chu Chu pantomimed the event.

"So Nemo, do you have any stories to tell?" Utena looked over at her friend. What she saw in his eyes gave her pause. He stared down into his cup, no image reflected in the translucent liquid that sat before him. An emptiness was all she could see, a wonderful person, but a man who had no past. She thought about his name, or at least what everyone called him. _Nemo, no one..._

Quickly changing the subject, Saionji leaned forward, whispering to the assembled guests. "Don't look now, but I think there's a ghost on board." His eyes darted over to the walls warily, then he pulled out a blindfold from behind his back. "Blind man's bluff!"

Rising from his seat, he secured the blindfold began shambling towards Ryan, twitching his arms around in front of him like a zombie. "The gaki has risen from it's grave, and now it's coming to eat you!" Scrambling away, Ryan hurried around behind the stoic Ragnarok, who sat watching in amusement.

"Roar!" Saionji shouted playfully, making his way towards Utena and Nemo's seats. Trying to scoot her chair back, Utena accidentally toppled onto her back, struggling to rise. Saionji continued past the table in the middle of the room, moving after Utena. "I am hungry for brains, give me brains or I will eat you!"

Nemo was still staring into his glass, ignoring the party as Utena tried to use his chair for a shield from the oncoming Saionji. Unable to see where he was going, Saionji stumbled into the chair, knocking all three of them to the floor.

Utena quickly slid free of the chair, still giggling from the game as Saionji latched his arms around the now attentive Nemo. "I have the birthday girl, and now I will eat her brains!"

"Ah, I think you've got the wrong girl!" Utena laughed as she and Anthy hurried out of the room.

Saionji pulled off the mask, looking down at Nemo. "You're not Utena!" He said in surprise. Nemo put his foot to Saionji's chest with a grin, shoving him off.

"Do I look like a girl to you?" He asked, rising with a smirk.

"I guess that depends, you both wear that silly black school jacket." Saionji commented in good humor.

"Well at least I don't need to spend an hour combing my hair every day." Nemo countered.

"Are you two going to chase us, or trade insults all day?" Utena called in to them.

"Be right there!" Nemo called back, pulling the blindfold from Saionji. "And don't worry, I'll get you back for that little move, Utena!" Looking down at it, he saw the eyes of a wolf staring back up at him. For a moment, he wasn't sure if he was seeing the truth, or another deception. He blinked several times and looked again. This time, all he saw was a piece of cloth.

***

Night brought calm seas to the beleaguered ship, rainwater dripping from the mast heads and rigging to the deck below. Sitting up on the prow of the ship, Ragnarok watched for signs of land in the distance. His sensitive ears picked up very soft footsteps approaching from behind, but he didn't move. Anthy walked calmly up next to him, leaning against the wooden rail next to him.

"What brought you up this late?" The wolf asked, his sharp voice tempered.

"I can never sleep until late in the night anymore." She answered, her emerald eyes watching the silver coin that hung in the night sky, surrounded by sprinkles of silver dust. "What keeps you up?"

"My duty." He answered

"Your duty? You have some kind of obligation?" She looked over at the proud creature, a slightly worried expression on her face.

"Nothing to worry about. I chose my duty, and I am proud to uphold it." He explained. "Back when Utena's parents died, Nemo ran away from the Kingdom Across the Sea. He found something, I don't know what, but something. Whatever it was, it drove him away from his old home, and he fled with the intention of protecting the Princess, ahem, Prince from his father. He was chased, and he found himself in the sea, swimming desperately to escape his father."

"I was at the docks, and had a choice to make, along with all the other Knights of our kingdom. The others stayed, remaining loyal to his father, I jumped into the sea. Together we swam, determined to make it to the other side, not knowing what was going to happen upon our arrival."

"The evil King wasn't done with us yet, and some kind of magic fell on us. We lost much of our memories, and each other. After that, I was lost for years, prowling around like a beast, having been changed into this form. Until what happened recently, neither of us apparently had any memory of what had happened before, or even our own lives." Ragnarok finished his narrative, still watching the sea intently.

"I see." Anthy said, a small hint of sorrow in her voice.

"I sense there is much to be told of your own story." Ragnarok said, his head turning to regard Anthy.

"Quite a lot." Anthy replied, watching the water disappear underneath the ship's hull. "Back before most people can remember, my brother, Akio, was a noble Prince called Dios. He was the rescuer of Princesses and the hero of people. He was really wonderful back then, but he never had any time to spend with his little sister. So, I became a witch, taking him away to my castle in the sky."

"But the people who he helped began to grow upset, demanding that he come and rescue their daughters, and save them from their problems. I tried to tell them to go away, but they refused, and attacked us with swords. That was where the Swords of Hatred came from, the swords that tormented me, and we became immortal, unable to leave the world behind, but unable to live in it either."

"Akio was determined to get the spirit of Dios back, but he had become corrupted, and could no longer possess the purity of his spirit. I, on the other hand, renounced myself to the life of a living sacrifice, so that he could retrieve his essence from the castle. It never worked, and as I suffered, he became more cruel and obsessed, until we hated each other." Anthy bit her lip, trying to fight back tears. "I wanted to save him, but I couldn't. Now my friends are the only ones left in my world."

"Hmm, the rough path has been traveled many times," Ragnarok said philosophically. "and I expect it will be tread again before either of us is done with our duty. Still, we have a purpose, and those who are precious enough to us that we will give all we have to protect them. There are far too few of those with a noble heart, Anthy Himemia. I am grateful to know that yours has become one."

"Thank you, Ragnarok." She said, brushing a hand through his thick neck fur.

***

The water below the ship became like a mirror in the depths of night, reflecting the sailing vessel as it made it's way onward. A small paper boat drifted by, followed by another, and another. Soon a small fleet of paper boats had drawn up around the ship, guiding it onward through the depth of night.

A shadowy figure stepped away from a mirror, walking over and dialing on an old rotary phone. "Yes, they are coming." The figure said, then hung up the phone. The ship would soon reach the Kingdom Across the Sea, and they would be waiting.


	2. Homecoming

Chapter 2

Homecoming

Rising mightily from the earth, a great mountain thrust from the sea, defying the storm and rain, shielding the land with it's eternal vigilance. It stood right along the coast of the once mighty Lands of the Wolf, shadowing a magnificent castle from the elements of the sea. Facing out over the stormy waters stood a crag of stone, the weather sculpting it into the visage of a snarling wolf, calling out a challenge against the forces of the mistress of the sea.

Just in the lee of this monumental formation, a harbor stood, battered and weathered by the storm that washed against the mountain. This was the capitol city of the Kingdom of Ookami, expanding outward from the side of the mountain, thousands of lights spilling forth from it's base, where the granite fortress of the evil King Davian stood high on the hillside.

Within it's courtyard, a thousand men wearing black cloaks and tricorn hats stood, each with a blank, empty face. Though the rain came down like a torrent, not one motion, even a nervous twitch, could be seen among their ranks. High over their heads, Nemo's brother Prince Conall stood, watching their motionless forms with disdain. Stepping off the balcony and out of the rain, he swept off his coat, throwing it about the back of a large, ornate chair as he passed, water still dripping from the tricorn hat that he wore.

"Pitiful! These men may have the discipline of the Crow over them, but they are worthless as fighters!" He snarled at an old, crinkled figure sitting in another ornate chair within the room, right across a large table with a scale map of the kingdom thrusting up from it's surface.

"If my brother makes it back, who knows what damage he could do to our progress!" Rage filled his eyes as he picked up a box with miniaturized soldiers set carefully within it. Throwing it across the dark, spacious room, he sat heavily in his seat.

"You should retain your dignity, my Prince." The old, hunchbacked lady cackled at him, smiling in a black toothed grin. "After all, he is doing just what I told you he would. Even without the power to see him, he is only a young man, impulsive and reckless. Besides, he is bringing your bride, Utena Tenjou here."

"What!? Why didn't you tell me this earlier!?" Conall stood, thrusting himself from his seat, his hands hitting the table under him. Placing one hand on his chin, he began pacing, his mind racing as to how he might take advantage of this. "We need to set up some kind of trap, so we may take the Princess from that mangy cur. If only-"

Conall paused, staring up at a large picture upon the wall. Watching him from where she hung, her beauty captured on cloth for eternity, hung the Queen's lovely face. She was a beautiful creature, with long locks of red hair that framed her heart shaped face, and her forest green eyes seemed to burrow deep into the soul of her son. He hated the picture, and all that his mother had represented to him, but no matter how much he wanted to remove it, her eternal face remained, and he was unwilling to have it touched.

"Heeheehee, your mother always was quite the charmer! Too bad you love her despite yourself, or else you might have had that thing burned with the rest of her belongings!" The witch laughed in her reedy, hollow voice, watching the Prince confront the image of his deceased parent.

Unable to remain in her presence, he paced hastily across the room to a large mirror that hung on the far wall. He heaved a sigh of relief, looking into the mirror at his own reflection, admiring the beauty he saw. He had short, golden hair that rippled like waves on the sea, his captivating emerald eyes shining gleefully. Looking down at his jacket, he scowled, seeing rainwater had discolored a part of the sand colored fabric.

Clapping his hands, he held out his arms while a pair of young ladies in simple dresses embroidered with gold quickly hurried up, pulling the wet garment from his chest. One of the girls kissed and caressed his bare flesh while the other retrieved an identical one from a walk in closet near the mirror.

The old witch watched in amusement at the girls' fawning antics, shaking her head at their willingness to be placed in his power. Strings hung down, attaching to the two girls as they continued to fawn over their Prince, turning the whole charade into a puppet show for the ancient woman. She looked reprovingly at him as he plucked or pulled their strings with his eyes and hands, toying with them. Finally finished, they retreated, pulled into the dark ceiling above by the strings.

"Are you done playing, my Prince?" She asked with amused scorn in her voice.

"Yes, that was quite refreshing." He replied, showing ignorance in the face of the witch's irritation. "Now on to business, gaining a bride and killing an animal."

***

"Hey sis, what are they doing?" A small boy asked, pointing over at the docks. Several of the black clad soldiers were carrying crates up to the pier, setting them down all along it.

"I don't know, but it seems awfully weird. Let's go see!" The young lady responded, smiling mischievously at her little brother. They waited quietly, watching as the soldiers left the crates all along the weather worn docks. The girl gazed about for any sign of the men, but the docks had been cleared, leaving no one about to witness their meddling. Hurrying through the rain, the two siblings held a hefty hemp blanket over their heads, making their way up to the strange crates.

"Hey, they're open!" Cried the boy in delight, reaching into the box. "And look, they're full of food!" He withdrew his hands, pulling out a potato and an ear of corn.

A flood of mortal fear suddenly hit the girl. "Put the food back, Cray! We need to go, now!" She gripped her little brother's wrist, turning to run, but was stopped in her tracks. Two faceless soldiers approached, swords drawn.

Harsh, empty laughter assaulted her ears as the men closed with her, hands outstretched to take both her and her brother away. Thinking quickly, she pushed Cray into the food box, throwing the blanket over the top of it.

"Aaah!" She squealed as one of the men grabbed a tangled mass of her sand colored hair, dragging her backwards into a puddle of rainwater.

"This girl will make a fine addition to the Prince's attendants." The soldier grasping her hair said, looking down at her with an empty black face.

"Hopefully he won't mind us having some fun with her first!" The second one said, his voice sending shivers down the girl's spine.

Enjoying their cruel joke, the soldiers began heading into the dark, looming city, dragging the poor girl behind them. She screamed in pain, trying desperately to release herself from their cold strength, but all it did was amuse them.

Sad, empty eyes peered around cracked doors and shutters opened just enough to see. The people of Ookami watched in helpless sorrow as the girl was dragged off. They had all been subject to the terrible oppression of their King, and dared not help anyone touched by his Black Guard, for fear that the same would happen to them.

One old woman turned from her window, looking down into the guttering fire that sat in the cooking circle on the floor. "Oh mercy, mercy on that poor girl, and on all of us." She prayed in a feeble voice, putting her hands and head on the floor. "God save us from this horror, bring us a hero..." Her voice trailed off under the pounding rain that battered the city.

In the harbor, a sailing ship nosed it's way up to the docks through the curtains of rain, it's prow bumping the wooden pier as it finally came to a stop.

***

Saionji hopped down from the ship, looking about in the gloom and rain, a heavy cloak blanketing him, several long strands of his curly green hair plastered to his face. Gripping one of the thick head ropes, he pulled it over to a large, anvil-shaped object that was secured to the dock.

"Ah, this infernal rain doesn't want to let up, does it?" He grumbled, pulling the knot tight. A sound suddenly caught his attention. He rose from his task, making his way towards the small sound. Coming up to a large wooden crate, he peered under a blanket that had been set upon it. A young boy, no more than ten years of age, was curled up inside, crying.

"Are you okay?" He asked, sympathy and concern in his voice.

"Th-they t-took my sister, Am-Ambrosia." The boy stuttered through tears, looking up at Saionji. "They're gonna hu-hurt h-her, then t-take her to the castle. I'll never see her again!" Cray burst into a fresh gush of tears, spilling them over the corn and potatoes.

A look of resolution grew on Saionji's face as the nobility borne of him set a light in his chest. "Where did they go?" He asked, looking down at the teary eyed youth.

"Th-that way, to the King's road." He said, regaining some of his composure. "But you can't help h-her, they'll kill you!"

Standing up, he gave the child a kindly smile. "A wise man once said that courage is not measured in the size of a man, but in the way he lived. I'll get your sister back." Growing more resolute, he took off through the rain, leaving the boy staring in wonder at what he had just seen.

"That man, he wasn't like the others! Could he be a Prince!?"

***

At first, the old witch hardly cared that a strange face had appeared in her mind. It happened often enough to leave her without concern. The boy in the box was of little importance to her either. It was his final words, however, that sent a spike of fear running in her, turning her blood to ice. _Did he say Prince!? No, that isn't possible! They would have to get in through the harbor, and I would have seen the ship if they had!_

She rushed as fast as her bent frame would allow, making her way over to Conall's balcony. Her old eyes stared out across the city, it's millions of lights glinting like stars under her old eyes. Then she saw something that brought terror into her. A lone ship sat rocking softly in the harbor, undetected by her magic.

"Amu ragu kiga na!" The old witch chanted, closing her near blind old eyes. The sight of her mind opened, revealing a hemp blanket and a young man sitting in the box above her. _They covered my eyes! They hid the ship from me!? No, it must have been a coincidence! I must warn the Prince!_

Her eyes snapped open wide as she rushed her rheumy old body out into the corridor, shouting as loud as her voice could manage. "Prince Conall! Prince Conall! They're here! Hurry!"

Conall was bathing in a large silver tub, his shoulders being gently massaged by a lovely marionette girl. He was finally able to relax, his breath calming as he thought about what he would do after he was done.

A man walked up with a cheese grater and a chalk board, and began to rub them vigorously against each other. Slipping and thrashing in the tub, he managed to drag himself out, wrapping a towel about him as the witch's voice assaulted his ears.

"What!? Why didn't you warn me they were coming sooner? I would have had the men at the docks!" He shouted angrily, glaring as the witch threw open the door to the bath.

"By some trick of your brother, they hid the ship from my eyes and ears as they entered the dock!" The old witch rasped, lying through her teeth.

"We have to hurry, before they escape the ship!" Conall said, turning to his attendant. "Fetch me the Knight Captain, and hurry!"

With a nod, the girl vanished into the shadows, leaving him alone with the witch. "It looks like I'll be cleaning up your mess, Althea! Pray you do not suffer for this failiure!"

***

The two guards dragging Ambrosia through the mud were completely caught off-guard by Saionji's attack. His katana held with the point down and to his right, he charged at the girl's tormentors, cutting cleanly through the back of the overshadowed figure. As the man crumpled to the ground, his lifeless fingers slid free of Ambrosia's hair.

His companion turned, his sword making it halfway from it's sheath before Saionji struck his blade, snapping it off near the hilt. Staggering back in surprise, the soldier took a long look at his broken sword, then back up at the mysterious attacker before him.

Saionji rose his blade again, ready for a counterattack. "Come at me if you dare, but I wouldn't recommend it!"

Cowardice overtook the man, and he turned, running as fast as his legs could carry him down the road. Flicking the blade clean of blood, Saionji returned it to his sheath, then walked up to the girl laying in the mud, offering his hand to her.

Ambrosia wasn't sure if she were seeing a real person, or an angel. His face was so bright and noble, like the kind of men who lived in stories. She took his hand, and he drew her to her feet, brushing her off with one elegant hand. Completely taken and lost for words, she fell against his chest, crying tears of joy.

Taken aback, Saionji was about to recoil, when he noticed people opening their doors and windows, looks of awe and tears of joy spilling from their eyes. Unsure of what to do, he tried to think of something, anything, he could do to get out of this awkward position. _Touga, what would you do in a situation like this?_ A thought suddenly occurred to him, and in a soft, firm motion, he swept Ambrosia into his arms and began to walk back to the harbor.

He had made it about three steps when the mud under his feet slipped, depositing both him and his passenger into the muck. "Ahh, my clothes!"

He looked at his mud-stained uniform in irritation, then noticed he was being watched by the girl. She smiled at him, her face glowing at his embarrassment. Trying to retain his dignity, he rose again, picking her up and carrying her on to the docks below.


	3. Reflections of the Past

Chapter 3

Reflections of the Past

Nemo stepped from the deck of the ship, making his way down onto the rain-soaked dock below. The wind whipped across his face, blowing the hood tight against his cheek, sending drops of rain racing along his cheeks. Each step seemed to be punctuated by a shouting voice, thundering deep within his mind.

"Worthless brat!"

"You'll never amount to anything in this world!"

"Ugh! Why did you have to be like your mother?"

"Get out! Get out of my presence, you insolent pup!"

"Why did I ever give birth to you?"

The echoes of hateful words resounded within Nemo, beating at him like the driving rain. Long damp streaks from the storm crossed his face and ran from his eyes as he stepped onto the pier. At the end of the old wooden platform, two blurry figures stood facing each other. One was tall and regal, the fur of skinned wolves lining his heavy cloak as he stood in the rain, glaring down at the smaller figure. The youth, barely old enough to carry the sword strapped to his back, stared up defiantly at the older, his hair and worn clothes whipping in the wind.

"You will come back inside, now!" The kingly figure shouted, his voice resounding like thunder as he yelled at the rebellious child.

"I know what you did! I'm never going back!" The boy responded, his small voice barely cutting through the rain's constant thrumming.

The older man smiled, shaking his head at the boy. "Ahaha, ah, you are my son after all. Of course you figured it out. You always knew the truth!" Dropping to look the youth in the eyes, the blackened void of the King gripped the boy's shoulders. "But that is the beauty of what I have done! Now you shall rule your own lands, be the King of your own people, and we shall be mightier than all the other kingdoms put together!"

"No!" The boy slapped away his father's hands, his eyes burning like a great furnace. "You are responsible for what happened! Because of you she will suffer!" Turning his back upon his father, the child stared out at the storming seas, rain running down from his eyes as he watched the torrential waves. "But I won't abandon her!"

Before the man could do anything about it, the boy cast himself into the raging water, swimming with all the power his small body could muster. The dark form of the King howled in rage at his son's defiance as he grabbed guards and yelled at them to retrieve him.

Suddenly, from the ranks of Knights behind the King, one form lunged forward, the mask of black over his face tearing away from his hidden face. He dove into the seas, swimming powerfully after the child.

For a moment, the King was delighted to see a Knight so diligent in his duties. His pleasure was short lived, as the Knight, instead of dragging the young man back, began to swim with him, taking him further and further from the docks, both of them disappearing into the torrential sea.

As the King cursed and shouted, an old woman, hunched with age, came waddling up with an umbrella over her and another child whose glasses reflected the light of the storm's fury. "Do not worry, my King." The old crone drawled pleasantly. "I shall make sure they never return to afflict your mighty kingdom with their strange, chivalrous ideals ever again."

Taking one last look into the storm, the King nodded in agreement, striding away from the docks, leaving the old witch to do her work. "Pay attention, for one day you will inherit my power." The witch spoke soothingly to the silent boy.

Nemo's head erupted in pain, and he dropped to the dock, his memories of that long gone day suddenly ripped into fragments, like paper shreds cast to the wind.

"My Prince!" Ragnarok rushed to his charge's side, followed quickly by Anthy. Leaning forward and looking up into Nemo's pained eyes, the wolf tried see deeper into the young Prince. A man, hard at work, drew up a sledgehammer and struck a large stake, driving it into the ground. Ragnarok cried out in agony, his legs giving out from under him.

Anthy's eyes flashed for a moment, revealing a massive array of threads like spider's silk leaping from everything and everyone to another, interconnecting all that she could see, and much further. A pair of flies were wriggling and struggling in the web, becoming more and more caught as they fought.

Anthy reached out and grabbed the threads that held the struggling insects, but the silken lines suddenly grew thick and strong, engulfing her hands. She tried to free herself, but only managed to start slowly sticking herself to the sinister substances. A vibration shot along the web, rattling the former Rose Bride's hands. She looked along the sticky threads, and found herself staring straight at an enormous, brown-grey spider with a mark shaped like a black bird upon it's back. The sinister form began it's approach, clattering it's mandibles hungrily.

"Help! Utena!" Anthy cried out to the ship, her eyes still locked with the horrible arachnid that was quickly seeking to slake it's hunger upon her.

"Yees! Struuggle my deaar! Thaat power I sense froom you will be a delicacy for mee! It has been a loong time since I enjoyed huuman flesh!" Closer and closer it drew, it's spindly legs drawing it near to where Anthy sat, vainly trying to shield her afflicted friends.

Utena came rushing out of the cabins, struggling to keep her footing upon the rain slicked deck. She hurried to the rail, looking down to where her friends were trapped by the webs. "Anthy! Hold on, I'm coming!"

Drawing her sword from under the heavy coat that hung about her shoulders, she leapt from the rail. "Yaaaah!" The razor edged blade hacked into the web, severing the huge strands that held Anthy in check.

Utena landed with a thud, rolling across the old wooden planks. She began to rise, regretting her decision to jump, when the spider came hurtling down atop her. It's mouth snapped hungrily at her head, trying to get it's venomous mandibles around her. Using her sword as a guard, she held the flat against it's mouth, struggling to keep it from subduing her with it's raw weight.

Anthy continued pulling against the webs, trying to free herself from the web that held her hands. Pulling back, she tried stretching the fibers, but they were too strong, and she was pulled off her feet, head first into the sticky material.

***

Saionji didn't know how, but he found himself wandering further and further through the streets, down long paths and around buildings he didn't remember. The way he had come was long lost in the strange, dark city. Despite the heavy cloak, the rain had burrowed itself down to his skin, soaking both him and the girl he was carrying.

Looking in confusion down the dark paths of the storm lit streets, he tried to figure out which way he was going. Realizing her savior's problem, Ambrosia finally dared to speak, her cheeks flushing at the thought of talking to a Prince.

"Um, uh, hi..." She managed to stutter.

Saionji looked down at her in surprise, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. "Hello, you are that boy's sister, Ambrosia, right?"

Unable to resist the opportunity, despite her shyness and fear, Ambrosia responded. "No, I wanted those men to drag me off, and the girl you're looking for got taken somewhere else."

Saionji was unable to believe his ears. He nearly dropped her to the ground in his panic, frantically trying to think of what to do. "You mean she got taken somewhere else!? I have to go find her before it's too late!"

Ambrosia burst into a laughing fit, unable to control her amusement at his reaction. "I was only joking! My name is Ambrosia," she said with a smile, "and I'm very grateful that you came to save me."

A sense of relief and embarrassment flooded into Saionji, who was feeling all too proud to admit he had been fooled. "Ah, yes, of course! I must get you back to your brother, or he will be worried about you."

"Cray will probably head back to our home, um, Prince. Please, let me take you there!" She carefully regained her feet, bowing humbly to Saionji, her hands placed upon her knees.

"Very well," Saionji replied nervously, unsure if he was behaving properly. _Touga made it look so easy._ He thought to himself. "Lead the way."

Smiling impishly as she rose, Ambrosia took his hand and hurried off into the rainy streets.

***

The old witch sat alone in a dark room, illuminated only by a single candle on one side of the table. Cobwebs hung in the darkness like rotten drapes about the little table Althea sat next to. A set of children's blocks were all about her on the tiny workspace, sitting around an ancient scroll that was unrolled before her.

Her face was relieved of the stress of earlier, and now she simply read in the quiet darkness of the little room. Occasionally she would reach down and pick up one of the blocks absentmindedly, then place it down somewhere else.

_At least that little Princeling isn't bothering me anymore! Doesn't he understand that subtlety is required in these matters? _She thought over his actions, shaking her head at the obstinacy he had shown. _Of course he doesn't, or else he would know how much I have to do to keep his destiny secure._ She picked up another block, then set it down again. _Fate is something that changes like a tide, and one can never see every thread. _She moved another block. _Perhaps he will learn a lesson when he understands how perilous his position is. Then he will respect just how much I do for him._

Rising uneasily from her chair, she walked over to the cobwebs. Pulling out a jar of flies, she opened it, tossing them to the spiders that hung amongst the old strands of web. She smiled in delight as one of the old spiders made it's way quickly to where it's wriggling quarry hung.

She turned, making her way from the dark little room, closing her eyes as she walked. Things would go just as she had seen them, and no one, not even a witch of her age could change it. Behind her, two castles stood on the table, formed of blocks, and on the web, the old spider found that it had not attacked flies, but wasps that attacked it in turn, killing the creature.

***

_Darkness... Pain... Memories... Anger... Despair... Light... Truth... Hope... Utena... _"Utena!" Nemo suddenly cried, breaking free of the crushing power in his mind. Pulling forward, he snapped the webs that held him, rushing at the spider with a howl that resounded across the sky, as if the storm's fury became his own.

The glittering blade was swept from it's sheath, striking with the might of one who was protecting all he had. The spider let out a terrible shriek, scuttling back to avoid the scything blade.

Rising from the ground, Utena drew herself up to Nemo's side, breathless but firm. Their eyes met for a moment, thousands of words shared in an instant between them. Moving in tandem, they lunged upon the spider, their swords falling vengefully against the creature's carapace, cutting deep gashes in the arachnid's armored hide.

Unable to stand the attacks, the spider tried to withdraw, but found itself cornered at every turn by the two Princes, forcing it further and further along the docks. With a mighty shout, Nemo and Utena drove it back to the edge of the dock, throwing it off the side and into the raging sea.

Exhausted by the battle, they turned back to the others, leaning on each other wearily. "Are you all okay?" Utena asked as they knelt to free their friends from the spider's web.

"I'm fine, but this is really uncomfortable." Anthy replied around the web stuck to her face and hair, the upper half of her body stuck firmly to the dock.

"Yes, I am as well." Ragnarok said, his voice revealing the shame he felt at being stopped so easily.

"It's not your fault, Ragnarok." Anthy said comfortingly to the wolf. "You couldn't have done anything against the magic that was used against us."

"What?" Utena looked in surprise at her friend as she cut carefully at the threads holding Anthy down. "Someone was using magic on us?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it. A spell was used on Nemo and Ragnarok to hurt them, and then another that brought that spider here. But whoever did it is a very skilled witch, much stronger than I was." Anthy explained, bringing worried expressions to her friends. "Um, could you please go faster, my bottom is getting really wet."

As if on cue, Chu Chu hurried down the gangplank, hopping up onto Anthy's rear end. The little blue creature then proceeded to open a tiny umbrella to shelter a small piece of his mistress to the amusement of the others.

"Hopefully we've dealt with the worst they're going to do." Utena said, only half confident in her own words. The others nodded, but a sinking feeling had begun in each of them, a sense of dread over what was to come.


	4. Glorious Nothing

Chapter 4

Glorious Nothing

Conall strode out into the courtyard of the castle, his face a mask of fury. _That witch plays her games, and my men are about as useful as a flock of geese in a battle! Must I run this kingdom myself!?_

He looked over to where his men stood in neat rows, each silent and still, soaked to the bone, and yet unmoving. They were puppets, nothing more. Their loyalty could not be bought, their valor was absolute, but they were still empty shells. Conall closed his eyes in irritation, trying to think of some way he could defeat his brother.

"Any real strategist knows what he must do to win." A sickly voice whispered from the shadows nearby. "You have everything you need, but the means in which you use tend to falter. Your brother has grown strong at the fallen Kingdom of Ohtori, and his friends make him stronger."

Turning sharply around to face the rebuking voice, he came face to face with a figure he had never seen before. She was nearly a foot shorter than his own impressive height, with dark hair draped down her shoulders and deathly pale skin. Her body was so thin that her simple black robes seemed like an elephant's skin draped over her. The most haunting thing about her, however, was her eyes. The whites were dimmed as if turning a pastel gray, and her pupils shone like silver disks that shimmered and reflected whatever light entered them. Her whole appearance was that of a young lady who was afflicted with terrible leprosy, and yet a strange vitality burned within her.

"Who are you?" Conall looked taken aback by this bizarre creature as she stepped into the rain from the shelter the little ledge afforded her. He stepped back cautiously, his hand drifting down to the sword hanging from his left hip.

"If you wish to call me anything, then my name is Kriem." She walked up to him with dark, sultry flashes pulsing through her eyes. Reaching up delicately with one of her dainty, silken hands, she brushed his cheek. "But you may call me whatever pleases you." Turning back, she walked under the stone ledge once again, her body almost fading into the darkness itself.

"Very well, Kriem, what is your purpose here?" Conall asked again, feeling a little more confidence about this stranger.

"My purpose is meaningless, because it does not exist here. You on the other hand, have many purposes here, so I will show you how to succeed in doing what is required to make those purposes a reality." She answered, her voice hardly raising above a pained whisper, and yet he could hear her words clearly over the roar of the thunderheads breaking in the sky above.

Another flash illuminated Kriem's eyes, nearly blinding Conall for a moment. When he cleared his gaze, there was nothing left of the girl standing in the shadows. In her place, a delicate ball mask sat upon the grass, tiny black feathers radiating out from the eyes, and a cold, lifeless smile covering the mouth.

Conall walked forward, picking up the mask, looking down at the empty face that stared back up at him. _I am beautiful, aren't I?_ Conall dropped the mask with a start, staring down at where it fell. He wasn't sure if he was simply hearing things, or if the mask had spoken into his mind.

For a moment, he just stood, then very carefully, he reached down and drew it into his hands again. _Teehee, a little shy, are we? Do not worry, Prince. All will be made clear in time. For now, know that I am all you need me to be, and if I am not, then I am nothing._

Filled with a terrible dread, he placed the mask carefully upon his face, where it stayed firmly. Suddenly the world seemed to rage and spin around him, becoming dark shapes where looming towers thrust up into the darkened sky, and thousands of arrows cut across the walls, jamming into trees that grew in profusion all about him. Great bells thundered in the distance, and webs hung everywhere.

Conall staggered back, watching the twisting, changing scene thunder around him in horror, unable to take in the full scope of what he was seeing. Out upon the courtyard, he could see his men, nothing more than skeletons standing in perfect columns, their bones filled with fluff from stuffed animals and silken threads that held the unnatural masses together.

"What is this!?" Conall demanded, but his words were filled with terror that he couldn't hide.

_This? This is what I see every waking moment of my life._ The voice within his mind whispered soothingly. _Welcome to my world._

***

Footsteps crunched softly in the dead loam of the forest floor as a lone figure walked through the darkness of the wood. For a moment, his glasses caught a flash of light, reflecting the round surfaces in the night.

A small, pleased smile appeared on his lips as he approached the broken columns of stone and rubble that had fallen to the ground in the woodlands. Huge pillars and chunks of marble sat in massive piles, a gravestone to the mad dreams of Ohtori Academy's former chairman.

The young man could still remember the day that the Dueling Arena held in the sky came down, bringing the great Castle of Eternity with it. Now the dwelling place of Eternity was lying shattered upon the ground, it's enormous stones rendered into useless piles of rubble. The chairman, Akio, had been upon the Dueling Arena when it fell, all his accomplishments laying broken over his shattered body.

It hardly mattered to Edric, who knelt down and began feeling the stones with calculating hands, judging each piece with a critical eye. He pushed carefully through the rubble, searching for his quarry among the broken stones.

Hours seemed to pass as he worked diligently in the darkened woodland, moving aside the shattered glories of the past with each sweep of his hands. He stopped, brushing aside a small area with his hands, throwing up a fine white powder as he worked, slowly uncovering a black object from amongst the rubble.

He rose to his feet, pulling fiercely at the object. For several long moments, the thing in his grip refused to move, then it popped out like a cork. Edric fell to a sit, looking down at his prize. A black, size thirteen shoe, still scuffed and covered in marble powder, sat in his hands. Smiling, he rose and began excavating the area around it, working intently to uncover what was buried there.

The birds ceased their songs, still he worked. A warm light cut through the trees, still he worked. An owl hooted in the distance, still he worked. Fragments of blue appeared overhead through the thick canopy, and Edric finally stopped.

He looked down proudly at the maligned form he had uncovered. The man's body was tall, a deep tan marking his perfectly formed frame. He had bright lavender hair, made lighter by the marble powder still worked into it. He wore a red shirt and black pants, and in his right hand a white shoe was still clutched, crushed along with the rest of his body.

Edric knelt next to the broken man, pulling out the shattered hilt of a dark, hateful sword from his belt. Using the ruined blade's jagged edge, he began cutting at the chest of the dead man, gouging a hole into the crushed flesh. He carefully lifted open the new cut, smiling as he looked into the heart cavity. The area was empty, nothing but a void waiting to be filled.

"So they weren't lying when they called you a heartless bastard, were they Akio?" Edric laughed quietly to himself as he pushed the hilt of the sword in his hand deep into the cavity. A horrible, unnatural light blazed forth from the wound, then from the eyes and mouth of the dead man.

A shriek escaped the body's lips, reaching a deafening crescendo that chilled the souls of all who heard it. Edric took several steps back, smiling cruelly as the dead Prince rose from his grave, his eyes blazing with a terrible, unnatural gleam.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Prince Akio." Edric bowed, his disposition shifting to one of solemn pleasure.

***

To the far west of the Kingdom of Ookami, another shadow loomed within the storm. Hundreds of small green pavilions stood in several perfect circles ringing the base of a large hill. At it's peak, another stood, much larger than the others. Tiny fires lit up the night about the camp, as if stars had abandoned their places in the sky, and dropped to the Earth below.

A rain battered figure approached the high pavilion, making her way into the warmth as she escaped the elements outside. Keeping her cloak up against the light of a roaring fire in the midst of the tent, she knelt on one of the bear pelts adorning the floor, facing a huge oaken chair.

Sitting upon this throne, a young man sat with one leg thrown over the arm, leaning upon the other with a casual indifference. He was lean and muscular, well formed with sun tanned skin and dark hair dyed in shades of red that made it seem as if his hair were changing color from one moment to the next. He was clad in barbaric finery, a heavy bearskin cloak, leather pants, and a thin chain sash with photographs hanging from it. Upon each was the face of a man, and a woman on the other side.

He looked up, almost bored with the frail girl's entrance. "Meirk, you have something to report?" His voice was every bit as lustrous as his body, nearly giving the girl spasms of longing. He smiled at her desire, knowing the power he had over women.

"Yes, my most wonderful Warlord! It appears their attention has been drawn to the sea. Someone they fear is making his way from the port into their city, and they fear he will destroy them." She whispered in a sickly voice.

"Ah, and what can you tell me about this, this newcomer?" He asked, grinning pleasurably at her trembling frame.

Meirk felt her heart freeze in fear, knowing he would not accept her answer. "Uh, well, my most worthy Warlord, he, um, ni-"

"Get on with it!" He said sharply, rising from his seat and glaring down at her.

"Neither my sister Kriem or I can see him... Our powers refuse to reveal his name or his face. We can not tell you of him." She dropped onto her face, her whole body trembling in anticipation of the Warlord's anger.

"What do you mean, can't see him!? Why do you think I keep you around, you worthless wench!" Striding over, he kicked the girl sprawling from where she crouched, driving her back with each blow. "You will go and find this man!"

"No, my Warlord, ple-Aaagh!"

"You will reveal him!"

"Mercy, my Warlord, mer-Aah!"

"Then, you will tell me all I demand to know!" With his final words, he kicked the wretched girl from the tent, leaving her groaning in agony outside. She didn't remain long, for fear that the Warlord's temper might suddenly return at the sound of her pain. Dragging herself from the mud where she fell, the witch made her way slowly out of the camp, her body aching from the relentless assault she endured. Many tiny flowers that tried to bloom in the first glimpse of spring died, drowned by the oppressive force of the rain.

***

Ambrosia led Saionji along the mud coated stones to the edge of the city, where hundreds of old, run down buildings dotted the landscape along the suburbs. The ancient structures stared angrily at the pair through hollow, dead eyes as they made their way into the dark confines of one building, escaping the rain outside.

"Well, it isn't much, but it's home!" Ambrosia said cheerily, motioning about the run-down room. An old television lay smashed upon the floor, and a sofa sat, dank and brown, in the corner, with rat holes torn into it. Other ruined objects littered the floor, and a large stand with colorful bottle caps stacked in it stood solemnly in one corner, the only color that seemed to survive in the otherwise dreary room.

"What happened in here? It looks like someone came in and ransacked it." Saionji replied, looking about the room.

"Pretty much. When the King outlawed things of the New World, he decided there was no need to remove them, just break them apart and leave the mess for the people who lived there. All the stuff we had was broken, and..." Ambrosia suddenly stopped her explanation, a deep silence hiding within her eyes.

Saionji walked over to the quieted girl, seeing the hurt hidden away inside her. He reached to embrace her, then paused, watching to see if she would get mad. When she didn't respond to his action, he took her about the shoulders, drawing her into his embrace. "There there, I understand how you feel. I lost all I ever knew once, and I know how much it hurts."

Lost in his arms, Ambrosia began to cry out her sorrows. It had been so long since she had been this close to someone, this close to her dead father, that she could barely remember it. But the warmth, the feeling of this man brought the memories of her loss flooding back to her.

A pair of little birds landed upon the broken window seal, watching them stand together in the dark room.


	5. Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

Chapter 5

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

"We need some kind of plan!" Ragnarok tried to explain, but neither Nemo nor Utena were in any mood to listen, making their way towards the castle at the base of the mountain. Following in their wake, Anthy, Ragnarok, and Ryan followed under the shelter of a large tarp that they held over their heads. "Useless... Miss Himemia, can you talk some sense into that girl? Nemo is more stubborn than a monkey with a nut when he's got his mind set on something."

Anthy smiled down at him, shaking her head. "Unfortunately, Utena is hardly one to change her mind either. I think if they both set their hearts on what they want at the same time, only a wall will stop them, and maybe not even then."

Ragnarok shook his head in frustration, looking after the young, impetuous Princes. They would walk right into the mouth of a dragon if they thought it would help them succeed. He would have to find another way to assist them without getting them killed first. Looking up at Ryan, he gave himself a moment of thought. "Ryan, keep an eye on those two, and listen to miss Himemia. I need to go find something." Hurrying from the makeshift shelter, he paused for a moment, turning back to the group. "Oh, and don't let them get to the wall! The last thing I need to hear is that they've been made into pincushions while I'm gone!"

Ryan nodded in response, putting on a brave face for the wolf. "Don't worry, Ragnarok. I won't let anything happen to them."

Still concerned, but unwilling to waste any more time, Ragnarok disappeared into the myriad buildings of the city.

***

Saionji sat in silence, his eyes gazing off into nothing. _This is wrong! I should be helping Nemo and Utena, not running around pretending to be something I'm not. _He looked over to the pitiful pile of blankets where Ambrosia lay, sleeping fitfully. _She seems so alone, unable to protect herself. It doesn't make sense! I would be helping her so much more by going and defeating Nemo's brother, but I can't leave her._

"Of course you can't." An old voice came from behind Saionji, drawing his attention to an aged man sitting next to the window, his hunched frame accentuating a frail, wrinkled face. "You're a Prince, and no Prince can abandon a damsel in distress. That is a part of who you are, and who you will become."

"Who I will become? Who are you?" Saionji asked. Something about this man seemed familiar, and yet, so very different from anyone he could remember. In fact, he seemed to have a hard time remembering any adult save the teachers at Ohtori, and even they seemed little more than empty shells.

The old man set down a chess board, moving a piece upon it. "You are very special, Saionji. A man who is learning to grow past his nature and become a true Prince of his people."

"A Prince of his own... Wait! What people are you talking about? This land is the rightful property of my friend, Nemo." Saionji said, suspicion growing in his heart.

The old man moved another piece. "Really? Is that what you call him? Surely he has told you his real name by now?"

"What do you mean, real name? His name is Nemo, and he is my friend."

Taking a bishop, the old man moved it in line with the King on the other side of the board. _Checkmate._ "Every name has a meaning, a truth hidden within it. Nemo is not your so-called _friend's _true name, but one he puts up to protect himself from others. He hides his true name, so that you will have no power to betray him. Of course, that means he doesn't trust you enough to tell you his true name. Perhaps you are only another pawn in his game."

"He really is very much like his father, taking what he wants and casting aside those who helped him once he attains his goals. You should be careful, young Prince, and beware the deception Nemo pulls over your eyes. If he were really your friend, he would tell you his true name." The graveness of the old man's voice drew Saionji in. A mighty blast of wind blew across the land, pressing upon a small tree. Bent and strained, the sapling whipped in the wind, slowly cracking near the base.

"You're wrong, Nemo would tell me his true name if he wanted! He just hasn't told me yet." Saionji defended, but doubt had grown in his mind.

"Go to the hill, seek out a girl with pale skin and strange eyes. She will show you the truth." Rising slowly, the old man made his way back out into the storm. "Heed what I have said, or your fate may be the same as all the betrayed."

Saionji rose angrily, walking up and kicking the chess board over. He couldn't believe the old man's words, even if they made sense. Glaring at the pieces laying upon the ground, he tried to make sense of it all.

Smiling silently, the man waded into the wind and rain. He had completed the first part of his plan, now all he had to do was wait for it to bear fruit. Soon enough, they would be at each other's throats, and he would be there to take advantage of it.

***

A pair of guards leaned sleepily against the high wall, staring in boredom out at the rain. Thunder cracked across the sky, sending a sheet of light out to annoy the tired guards. "Agh, I hate this rain!" The first complained, rubbing a water soaked arm across his face.

"I hate everything." The second replied, crouched in the little shelter supplied by the battlements.

The first looked over at his companion, an incredulous look upon his face. "You can't hate everything! There's gotta be something you like."

"Nope, stopped liking everything. Doesn't matter what happens anymore, everything's just annoying now." The second grumbled, staring off into the courtyard.

"C'mon, you gotta like something. How about food, or sleep, or having a warm fire to sit by once you're off duty?" The first crouched to sit next to his stubborn companion, doing whatever he could to convince his friend to speak.

"Don't like the food, since it tastes terrible. Sleep means I get to dream about the people who were taken from my life, and warm fires are all a reminder that I had something to live for, and it was yanked out from under me. Life ain't worth living anymore." The second said in irritation, pulling his coat tighter about him.

"So there isn't anything for real?" The first looked over at the second, sadness in his eyes.

"No... Well, there was, but not no more." The second slipped for a moment.

"What, what!? Tell me, I want to know." The first leaned around, trying to look into the eyes of his miserable companion.

"I, uh, I used to like sitting there with my pa on saturdays, watchin' cartoons and laughing together." He said, a faint smile creeping onto his forlorn face.

"Ahh! Shh! Are you mad!?" The first guard whispered, his face shocked by the second's statement. "You can't go talking about stuff like that! Do you want to be killed!?"

"What does it matter? Life isn't what it used to be, before that rotten ol' King went up and took everything away. Now what do we have left? Misery, that's what! And pain, and suffering! Well I've had it! I'm looking out for myself now, and not what little Prince Conall wants! His daddy's dead anyways, so what do we gotta worry about?" The second guard stood, looking down at the first, a sad frown creasing his dripping face. Looking out at the angry storm, he glared at the wind and driving rains. "You listen to me, world! My name is Michael Cray, and I refuse to be a slave to this world any longer!"

"You're mad! You can't do this! Please, I'm begging you, don't do this! Oh, I should never have spoken to you in the first place!" The guard began to cry, fearful of what would happen to them for Michael's impudent words. He cringed next to the battlements, hoping his end would be swift.

"Hello up there! Michael Cray! Can you hear us!?" A voice cut through the rain, calling up to the man standing defiantly upon the wall.

Looking down into the dark streets, Michael tried to find the place where the voices were coming from. Sighting a small group of figures leaning within the shadow of a building, just further than the old towers that guarded the bridge into the castle. The one calling to him appeared to be a young man, wearing a black coat like a guardsman.

"Aye, what do you want?" He called back, wondering why the man would use his name.

"We need to get into the castle. Could you lower the bridge?" The man responded. His voice seemed so familiar to Michael, but somehow different than he remembered it. It wasn't as refined as he recalled, but more authoritative, more firm. He didn't know why, but something about this man made him want to obey, and he found himself walking down to the gatehouse.

"No way! No way! You can't just let those people in! They are obviously not guardsmen, and if you let them into the castle, we'll both hang for sure!" The guard followed, trying to convince Michael to stop.

Pausing, Michael looked into the eyes of his companion, a look of determination filling them. "No, I want to help these people. There is something different about them, and maybe it's just a gut feeling, but I think it's the right thing to do."

"The right thing!? Getting us both killed is the right thing!? This is ludicrous!" The guard babbled, throwing his hands in the air. "Do you want to die for nothing!?"

"Do you want to live for nothing?" Michael retorted, then strode into the guardhouse, leaving his stunned companion standing behind him.

***

Conall's smile grew as he gazed out at the wondrous things all about him. The mask's sight seemed to change everything, showing him the depths of the world around him. Webs pulled things everywhere, one thing changing another and another, almost like the whole world was a series of puppets, each affected by a more influential puppet, that was in turn affected again.

"I can see it all, the truth beneath the surface of every action, the choices every person makes! With this power, who could hope to stand against me!?" He laughed, watching his soldiers stand stiff and unchanging in the fierce winds.

A sound suddenly raced upon his ears, coming from over the walls, far away. The howl of a thousand wolves, all calling into the darkness overhead. Chains began rattling, and the earth under Conall's feet seemed to shake with some untold power.

"What is going on!? What does all this mean!?" He demanded to Kriem, feeling a great fear grip his heart.

_That? That is the sound of change. One whom the wolves' call sounds for, like the blast of a trumpet, is approaching. He brings with him a change that will reshape this land, and throw all into upheaval._

"No! My brother is here already!?" Conall hesitated for only a moment, then turned to the fluff-filled skeletons, shouting wildly. "To the walls, you fools! Protect my kingdom!"

The men turned in a bizarre parody of life, rushing to the defenses of the castle, making their way up the walls, to the towers, and all along the ramparts. Conall smiled at the efficiency of the marionettes, each doing exactly as they were meant to, each knowing their duty perfectly. _Too overconfident!_ The voice within his mind said. _Did you really think he was assaulting you? Look again._

Realization flooded into Conall as he saw the gates grind open, making a passage straight into the castle. All of his men had gone to defend from an attacking force, leaving the grounds empty and unattended, and permitting anyone at the gate to simply walk in.

A loud clatter thundered across the courtyard as the drawbridge struck the ground, revealing not an army, but his brother, Nemo. The howls started within his mind again, cutting across the open field as Nemo charged, his eyes blazing like a torrential fire. Racing behind him came Utena, Anthy, and Ryan, swords in hand as they followed in his wake. Threads and webs began snapping and breaking by the hundred as they crossed the field.

Hurrying away from where he stood, Conall ran as fast as he could, making for the keep. "To me! To me!" He shouted, calling his men back from their battle stations.

A look of horror crossed his face as he saw Anthy pause, looking about her at the webs that had been formed. "She can see them too?" He asked, his eyes wide. _Of course she can, she was a witch after all._

Anthy seemed to reach out, gathering tiny threads into her hands. She tugged them gently, drawing them with her delicate hands. The result was anything but gentle. The rains falling upon the walls seemed to become more slick, and as his troops ran mindlessly over it, their feet suddenly found no grip. Torn from where they stood, they fell from the wall, the bones crushed, silk ribbons breaking apart as they slammed violently into the ground below.

"No, this can't be happening!" Conall shouted, watching his men crumple back into the lifeless beings they were.

"Conall!" The shout brought his attention back to his estranged brother, who was rushing at him with his sword bared, a thousand shadowed wolves rushing in his wake. Gripped with terror, Conall pulled himself into the keep's doors, locking a hundred locks to keep out his vengeful kin. Looking about for something, anything that would avail him of his predicament, but nothing was forthcoming. A feeling of doom thundered within him, accentuated by the mocking howl of the wolves.


	6. Uncertainty

Chapter 6

Uncertainty

Ambrosia's eyes flickered open, staring up at the ceiling overhead. She turned her gaze to where Saionji sat, slumped against the windowsill, soft snores issuing from him. She sat up slowly, stretching out her arms.

A strange sound came to her ears, one she could not recall hearing in a long time. Drip, drip, drip, drip. She quickly rose and hurried over to the old doorway, staring in surprise out into the new day. Droplets of rainwater crawled free of the gutters, pattering softly across the ground as sunlight cut through the heavy clouds that had covered the land.

"Ah! Saionji get up! Come look outside!" She hurried over to her sleeping Prince, shaking his shoulders. "Come and see, the sun is shining!"

"Mommy, can't I sleep just a little longer?" Saionji mumbled, trying to roll away from the persistent girl, only to slip from where he lay, falling to the floor. "Ah! What's going on!?" He scrambled up off the floor, looking about at the room.

Ambrosia could hardly keep from giggling at Saionji's antics, covering her mouth to hide her smile. Trying to regain his dignity, Saionji straightened his coat, brushing himself off. "Ah, um, good morning, I see that you're awake."

Unable to keep her bearing any longer, Ambrosia burst into tearful laughter. "Did I say something funny?" Saionji asked, genuine confusion showing on his face.

"No, no, please forgive me, but I never expected you to be so wonderful." She said, reining in her cheer.

"I see," he replied, looking no less confused, "so what was it that you wanted me for?"

"Oh, I just wanted you to see the sunshine over the hills. Isn't it beautiful?" She gestured out to the glistening hillsides, where vast fields of wildflowers were beginning to bloom in the warm sunlight.

"Ah yes, it is quite lovely." Saionji replied, looking over them. "If I may ask, what is that up there?" He pointed at the large, green pavilion sitting upon one of the hills in the distance.

Ambrosia blinked her eyes, just to make sure she was seeing what he was pointing to. "I've never seen that before." She responded, her voice hinting at some uneasiness. "It must have been put up recently."

"I think I should go have a look at it." Saionji said, remembering his conversation with the old man. "You should stay here, just in case."

"No!" Saionji looked at Ambrosia with a start at her sudden aggression. Embarrassed at her own outburst, she turned away. "I, uh, I mean, w-we should really stick together. You're a stranger here, and I know the area. So, it would be advantageous for us to, you know, stay near each other..."

Saionji's expression softened at her words. _I remember being alone. Back then, I would have given anything for a kind word or a little affection. I can't leave her alone, or else what would I be but a heartless man._ "Very well, if you want to come with me, you may."

Overjoyed at his words, Ambrosia rushed up, throwing her arms about his high shoulders. "Oh thank you, thank you! You won't regret it!"

Saionji patted her back softly, smiling to himself. _I hope I don't, for both our sakes._

***

"Nemo wait! Slow down!" Utena called after her charging friend, worry creasing her brow. Ever since he laid eyes on Conall, Nemo seemed to change. Gone was the sensible young man she knew, replaced by a fierce, determined beast. Unable to surmount the main door, he had raced around the base of the keep until he came to the kitchen entrance, bashing it aside with his shoulder.

Venturing a look back, Utena saw Anthy sitting in the grass, plucking the greenery from the ground. Deciding she didn't have time to question her friend, Utena hurried after Nemo, following in the wake of his destruction. Tables and kitchen tools were cast aside as Utena made her way through, her eyes catching glimpses of his back as he tore through the castle.

"Nemo! Nemo stop!" Her shouts proved to be vain as he continued to seek his brother, like a wolf hunting it's prey. A shout of terror reached Utena's ears, lending speed to her legs. She dashed through a smashed doorway just in time to see Nemo standing with his sword drawn, facing Conall, who was cringing against the far wall of the main hall.

"No, keep away you beast! Guards, guards! Kill him!" Conall shouted, his eyes wide in fear. In response, soldiers wearing black trench coats and tricorn hats came striding at the maddened Prince, their blades sliding menacingly from their sheaths.

With a snarl, Nemo rushed at them, parrying one while slamming bodily into the other, knocking him to the ground. Utena drew her sword, running up to block the path of more soldiers bearing down on Nemo. They advanced upon her, thrusting viciously at her head and chest, forcing her back step by step. Unable to hold her ground, Utena retreated a few paces, parrying their cruel blows. One blade found it's mark, slashing across her cheek, leaving a rivulet of blood crawling down her face.

The guard responsible sneered, drawing his blade for another attack. He gasped in surprise as another blade seemed to grow from his chest. "Nuwaah!" He slid to the ground, life pouring from his body as Ryan withdrew his sword. The other guard turned on him, followed by a yell of pain as Utena slashed across his neck. He fell to the floor, black blood gurgling from his throat.

"Miss Utena, what's wrong with Nemo?" Ryan asked, looking over at his Prince. Nemo rose quickly, leaving three dead around him, his eyes still glowing with battle light.

"I don't know, but it can't be good." Utena said, hurrying up to Nemo. She reached out as he advanced on Conall, a feral snarl upon his face. Whirling about like a storm, he threw Utena over, coming down on top of her with a fearsome roar.

Utena struggled to get loose, but Nemo held her firmly under him, his eyes burning into hers. She could feel the heat, the pulsating energy within his body, his grip, his eyes, an uncontrolled, wild power striving to get free. Leaning down, he licked her cheek, wiping it clean of blood. A strange, passionate fear filled her as she met his gaze, like a small animal looking up into the eyes of a predator. She could feel her heart throbbing, adrenaline pumping through her body. _What is this!? What is he doing!? I have to escape, or he'll kill me!_ Pushing through her panic stricken instincts, she met his deep, animalistic gaze. "Nemo! Wake up!"

The blaze within Nemo's eyes dimmed for a moment, as if sanity was returning. He started to draw himself off her, the forest green shade replacing the blazing fire in his pupils. Then he howled in pain, the rage returning full force.

Conall backed away from his maddened brother, his sword red with blood. Dropping the weapon, he fell to the ground, covering his head. "No! Please, have mercy!"

Reacting quickly, Utena threw herself on Nemo's back, keeping him from killing his brother. "Ryan! Help me!" She commanded, bringing Ryan running up to help take hold of Nemo's thrashing body. They finally managed to wrestle him back, keeping him from his quarry.

Slowly, the fury burned out in him, giving his exhausted friends a chance to rest. Panting heavily, he looked over at them. "Utena, Ryan? What happened?" They looked at each other, then back at him.

"You don't remember?" Utena asked, surprise filling her voice.

"Only a little, but not much." Nemo replied, hanging his head. "Are you all right?"

Utena reached up brushing the fresh blood that pooled on her cut cheek away. She looked at him again, her body still quivering in fear. "Yeah, I think so."

Behind them, sitting against the wall, there sat a coil of rope.

***

Althea smiled as she watched from the upper floor of the main hall, her old crinkled face twisted in sordid pleasure at the sight of Prince Nemo's wild behavior. "Prince with no reflection, no name, no face, what shall I call you today." She whispered to herself gleefully.

Nemo was every bit as vulnerable as she thought he would be. Without a name to defend him, he would give in to whatever nature found itself rising within him, and he could be bent like a reed in a storm. Looking over at Conall, she shook her head mockingly. _You should have been more useful to me, Conall. Maybe I would have spared you such an ignoble fate, but it seems your time has run it's course. Now to be sure you do not turn up as a loose end._

The witch reached out her hand, but before she could break the threads holding Conall, something else happened. He seemed to fade, then vanished into the air, leaving nothing behind. For a moment, the old witch tried to figure out what had happened, then realization hit her. _So, you found outside help. Too bad it will cost you everything._ Another witch did not bode well on her plans, but too many things had been set in motion, and disrupting them now would only serve to weaken her. She would bide her time until all was ready.

She turned and hobbled slowly up the stairs to the Prince's quarters, along the dark halls into his chamber. Once inside, she approached the table, which currently held a chemistry set. The burner had melted through the bottom of a glass container, spilling water atop it and putting the fire out. Another minor setback, but one she could afford.

"It would seem you have grown ambitious in the time I have been gone." A voice broke the silence of the chamber, sending a wave of shivers up her spine. She turned as quickly as her body would allow, eyes wide at the sight of a large, looming figure within the dark confines of the room.

Prostrating herself before him, the old witch groveled at the sight of the one she feared more than death itself. "M-master, please know that your servant has done only what is right of her, and would never betray his Majesty!"

"Of course. I am confident that nothing I would not tolerate has happened in my absence?" He said, his deep voice commanding her answer.

"Yes, your Majesty. I would not allow anything to happen." She said, dearly hoping that truth would be lent to her words.

"Good. And what of my son, he has not learned his name, I assume?"

"No no! He has been kept far from any such knowledge!" The witch looked up at the imposing figure, her eyes still filled with fear.

"Excellent. We shall be leaving then, and I don't wish for anyone to know I have returned yet. My presence must only be known in time."

"As you wish, my lord." The witch bowed again.

Birdsong echoed in through the window, bringing with it a fresh breeze from the sea.

***

Saionji hiked up the muddy hillside, his pants freshly caked from a slip on the ground. Behind him, Ambrosia grinned, her whole body splattered in mud. The pair drew up to the top of the slick slope, each trying to regain their breath from the climb.

"Look at them all. It reminds me of some kind of circus." Ambrosia said, staring at the pavilions, bright banners hanging from their edges and flying from tall poles.

"Hmm, something about this doesn't feel right." Saionji said, resting his hand upon his chin. "I don't like it. Why would someone set all this up way out here instead of in the city?"

"A Warlord never makes camp too close to his enemies, favored one." A quiet, sickly sounding voice answered, drawing their attention to a rock nearby.

"Who's there?" Saionji asked defensively, placing himself between the rock and Ambrosia.

A slight, pale girl rose from where she sat behind the rock, turning to face them. She had long black hair, and strange, silver pupils surrounded by grayed eyes. She bowed elegantly, lowering her eyes to the ground before him.

"You! The old man said I would meet you here, and that you could tell me what was going on." Saionji said, his eyes fixed on the strange girl.

"If it is within my power to speak, I shall tell you whatever it is you wish to know." She answered, rising up again to meet his eyes with hers.

Ambrosia peered out from behind Saionji's back, a slight squint in her eyes. There was something very wrong about this girl, she was sure of it. Glancing up at Saionji, she saw the resolution on his face, the need for whatever this girl promised him.

"Saionji, I don't think this girl is trustworthy." She said, taking his hand. He ignored her, still intent on their new acquaintance.

"Please, favored one, come with me. You are expected at the camp." She gestured slowly for them to follow her, then began walking down the hill towards the pavilions below.

Saionji hesitated, looking over at Ambrosia. "I need to know the truth, and this girl knows the answers to my questions. You can go home and wait for your brother if you like."

"I've already made up my mind, I want to come with you. Please don't send me away." She said, her eyes reflecting longingly at him.

"Alright, but whatever happens, I need you to trust me, okay." Saionji said sternly.

"Okay..." She answered. "I trust you, but I don't trust her. Be careful."

Saionji nodded, then turned to follow the girl to the camp. The three of them walked on, making their way down the hillside to where the large circle of tents stood.


	7. Princes and Wolves

Chapter 7

Princes and Wolves

Nemo sat alone in the Prince's quarters, head rested firmly in his hands. He could hardly understand what was happening, the feral roars within his mind. He hadn't remembered trying to kill his brother, or turning on Utena for that matter. But deeper down, he knew when she turned away that she had been completely honest.

"What's wrong with me!?" Rising from the bed he slammed his clenched fists against the wall angrily, his voice growing loud and enraged. Against the wall, the mirror showed nothing but an empty room on it's polished surface.

_Do you really think there is any hope for you, Prince of Wolves? You and I are the same, a single being of terrible fury, an unstoppable force that will rock the hearts and chill the souls of any who dare stand against us. We are one, and apart from me, you no longer exist. _A mask rested over the left half of Nemo's face, the lupine muzzle moving independent of it's wearer.

"I am not you, I am my own man!" Nemo shouted, glaring at the beast that stared back at him.

_Really? Then what is your name, Prince Nemo?_ The mask taunted, it's eye threatening to overwhelm Nemo's mind.

"I-I, my name is..." Nemo looked down, unable to confront the gaze of his dual self.

_Your name is Nemo, no one. I am your lifeline, the only thing that holds you to this world. Without me, all you have ceases to exist, all that you are is nothing._ The wolf mask taunted, knowing just how much power it had over it's holder. _You can never truly be free, for you are nothing in the end. One day you will awake to find I have grown stronger than you, and not all the power of this world will be able to stop me! I will rip and tear the flesh of my foes, destroying anything that dares rise against me, and crush this land to rubble! _The voice stopped for a second, then grew bolder. _Maybe I'll even drink the blood and revel in the screams of your friend, Tenjou._

Fear and rage tore into Nemo, his resolve growing weaker as fury filled his heart, blinding his mind, silencing his soul. The wolf laughed softly within him, feeling his weakness growing. Nemo knew he was losing, but refused to give in to the power of the beast. "You... you won't touch one hair on her head!" Nemo's voice was quivering with inner rage. "I promise you, your filthy desires shall never be fulfilled!" Gripping his sword, Nemo drew it from the scabbard at his side. He rose it to strike himself, but another presence stayed his hand.

Utena stood at the door, staring in at her Prince. For a long moment, her eyes remained fixed on him, worry creasing her brow. Nemo dropped his sword, sweat dripping off the end of his nose. He hung his head in shame, knowing she must be broken and angry at his actions. She didn't know what was wrong with him, she didn't need to. _I will only hurt her if I let her in._

A key clicked in a lock. Utena walked slowly up to Nemo. The walls of the castle stood thick and firm outside. She stopped just shy of him, her deep blue eyes seeking his forest green ones. Windows slid shut, latches pushed firmly, and curtains lowered. Utena's kind arms wrapped about Nemo's trembling body, her warm breath brushing against his damp skin. The door was shattered, the walls collapsed with a thundering crash, the windows were blasted aside.

Nemo collapsed to the ground, sobs wracking his body. Utena knelt next to him, drawing close to him. She didn't know what was wrong with him, she didn't need to. _He gave everything for me, saved me from myself. I don't need to know, I love him anyway. _For a moment in time, the world seemed to stop, drawn into perfect harmony. Nemo's fears, the darkness that sought to destroy him, were driven out.

He wished he could tell her, but the truth of his fear would break them apart. She could never forgive the darkness within him. She would run from Ookami, run from him. He would have to fight to protect her from himself, or lose her forever.

***

The soldiers watched as Saionji strode slowly into the camp, led by the frail Meirk and followed by a frightened Ambrosia. The teenager's eyes drifted about like a deer that hears howls in the night. The men were clad in camouflage, furs, motley clothes, and leather. There didn't appear to be any uniformity, each entirely different in appearance than the last. They bore weapons of every type, some bearing swords and clubs, while others carried guns and explosives. Grenades and javelins sat stacked against each other, flanked by RPGs leaned on piles of arrows.

Saionji hardly noticed as he followed his guide up the hill, towards the large pavilion atop it. Men pulled forcefully at the ropes of a pavilion that was being erected. The tent rose slowly, tugging back against the might of the men. For long moments, the weight fought the strength, then without warning, the rope between them found itself too strained, and snapped violently. The men collapsed in a heap, the tent fell. Saionji continued onward.

Ambrosia, who was still eyeing the fearsome number, noticed that their ranks were changing, now instead of the fierce men near the base of the hill, there were numbers of bold, iron clad men, resting in the shade of their pavilions, away from the heat of the sun. Unlike the unruly, wild, aggressive soldiers she had seen before, these men were more refined, watching her through heavy lidded, haughty eyes.

"Who exactly are we going to see?" Ambrosia asked, looking back up at Meirk.

Turning her head slowly, the strange, dark robed girl looked back at her with cold eyes. "The Favored One is going to see the mighty Warlord Asrad, and you," she paused, as if thinking for a moment. Her voice became a little softer, "we shall see what we can do for you." Feeling no more secure about the situation, Ambrosia continued her upward trek behind Saionji.

The sun stood high by the time they reached the entrance of the pavilion atop the hill, banners flowing in a strong westward breeze. Saionji turned to their guide, a question in his eyes. "You said we were to meet a Warlord here, but you didn't explain why." He said.

"You shall see in time, Favored One." There was a glimmer of glee in her weak smile as she motioned for him to enter the pavilion. Ambrosia started to follow, but her outstretched arm barred the girl's passage.

"You stay here. The guards will attend you." The look Meirk gave Ambrosia sent a shiver up her spine as she backed off. An armored hand suddenly gripped her about the face, keeping her from making any sound as she was dragged forcefully off, kicking and struggling against her assailant.

One of the armored men approached Meirk, bowing as she turned to enter the tent. "What should we do with the girl, my lady?"

"Keep her bound and untouched, for now anyway. I may yet have uses for her, but if she turns out to be a liability, your men may see to it that she is treated appropriately." Her whisper carried with it an edge that her sickly frame hardly seemed capable of. The soldier shivered in his armor, knowing full well the depth of depravity lady Meirk was capable of. With that, she entered the tent after Saionji, ready to enact the revenge she desired.

***

Without Nemo, Utena, or even Ragnarok to tell him what to do, Ryan found himself feeling a little strange. He was so unused to doing things for himself, let alone being in charge of a castle, that he was at a loss. Wandering about the stone corridors and great walls, he stared at the place he once called home. There was a certain degree of familiarity with everything, but at the same time, it was different, like something out of a dream.

He stepped out into the courtyard again, still feeling a little lost. High on a wall crevice, a tiny bird took to it's wings for the first time, fluttering freely in the open sky. Ryan smiled as he watched the little creature try it's wings. Up and down it glided, then landed atop a small post where a large bell hung.

Curious at the sight of it, Ryan walked up, staring at the large bronze object. He tapped it, looked inside at the large bell gong, and then gripped the rope hanging from it. He gave a sharp tug, then released the rope, allowing it to swing freely and ring in the clear air.

A commotion started all about the walls and buildings, as an assortment of guards and soldiers came hurrying into the courtyard, some half-dressed, others stumbling along as their sleepy forms would allow. They assembled, doing their best to straighten up into neat rows upon the grassy sward.

Ryan hesitated, unsure of what he had just done. Then he noticed they were all watching him nervously, as if they expected him to eat them where they stood. _Are they waiting for me? I must have called them, or they wouldn't have all hurried up like that. Oops!_

He finally decided he would address them, since he had dragged them out like this. "Ahem, ah, welcome..." Ryan stopped, embarrassed by his own lack of things to say. "I, uh, I mean good uh, afternoon. My name is Ryan, the Sword Bearer of Prince Nemo, your new ruler. I-"

The men broke into a simultaneous cheer, whooping into the air and throwing their headgear about. Some of the men began to cry, while others patted each other on the back, big grins spread over their features.

Baffled by their behavior, Ryan tried to get them to settle down, but they hardly noticed. After several useless attempts, he gripped the bellrope and rang it again. Immediately the grounds went quiet as they retook their positions. "Uh, thank you. Your new Prince is pleased with the diligence he has seen in his men." Ryan said, trying to sound sincere. _If they were really that diligent, we probably would have failed to take the castle instead of winning as easily as we did._

"As of now, I am taking charge of the castle guard, so you can all call me sir from now on." Still sounding small and under confident, Ryan tried puffing out his chest.

"Y-yes sir!" The stuttered, half laugh came from the assembled men at his show of force.

"Ahh, we're going to have a lot of work ahead, aren't we..." Ryan whispered to himself. The little fledgeling bird had fallen to the ground, but quickly righted itself and began flapping it's tiny wings fiercely, carrying itself into the sky once again.

***

Michael Cray and his companion stood watch at the gatehouse, sitting in the pleasant confines of the little room. Bright sunlight filtered in through a series of narrow windows along the wall, a table surrounded by chairs filled the middle of the space, and a large series of gears dominated one wall, the controls of the main entrance to Ookami Castle.

Michael himself was feeling particularly proud, smiling over at his companion, something he had not done since the beginning of the King's reign. "Ah, this thinking for yourself business is terrible! Prince Conall was so mad, he went up and left us here, to get promoted to gatehouse watch during the day, instead of drafty, wretched wall watch all night! Who would have thought!?"

"Alright, alright! Enough already!" His companion replied in a huff. "You win, this is much better, but mind you, we would have been killed if the Prince's brother hadn't been waiting at the gates for someone to let him in!"

"True enough, I suppose, but it would still have been better than living the way we were." Michael replied, proffering a stein of warm broth to his companion. "Anyway, I'm proud of the decision I made, and look at how much it changed your life. If Prince Conall had been in charge, we wouldn't be eating for hours yet, and would he give a care? No. I think this new guy in charge of the guard is doing a good job of looking out for us, and if the new Prince is the same way, you won't catch me complaining."

"At least you're in a better mood." His companion replied, leaning forward and taking the broth. "The other night I could hardly get a positive word out of you, and now look, you won't shut up. I swear, if you talk too much more, I'll have to shove this stein down your throat just to get a minute of peace and quiet."

A shadow hovered in the doorway near the guards, followed by two pairs of curious eyes. "Mew!" A brown kitten scurried up to Michael's leg, and began rubbing it's head against it warmly.

"Aww, look at this little fellah. Where did you come from, cutie?" He reached down, scratching the kitten along it's neck.

Deciding these men were friendly, the boy crept out from his hiding place, and came walking boldly up to the guardsmen. "Hello sirs. My name is Cray, and I'm looking for my sister. Have ya seen her?"

The two guards looked at each other in amusement, then turned back to face the kid. "Nice to make your acquaintance Cray, my name is Mr. Michael Cray, and this is my esteemed colleague Mr. Jim Nettle." Michael said with a hint of sarcasm underlaying his tone of feigned nobility. "May I inquire as to how you got into our humble castle?"

"Oh, that's easy." Cray said with a smile. "I followed the Prince and his friends in, after you left the gate open."

Michael blushed slightly, having forgot he had abandoned the gatehouse after releasing the drawbridge. "Ah, well, I was thinking more about what was going on at the time than about the gate. Anyway, what was that you were asking about your sister?" He quickly changed the subject, hoping to draw attention away from his lapse in duty.

"I haven't seen her since the green haired Prince went after her the day before they took the castle. I'm starting to get worried. Was anybody brought here before then? I'm sure you would have heard something about it." Cray answered, his voice becoming more worried.

"No, I haven't, but if she is here, we'll find out, is that okay?" Michael said reassuringly.

"Okay." Cray replied. The brown kitten stepped outside, and began walking after another cat, one that was much larger, and yet the same shade of brown.


	8. A Turn of the Wind

Chapter 8

A Turn of the Wind

Warlord Asrad turned upon his throne, his eyes fixed on the tall, green haired man stepping into his pavilion. A thunderous pounding of hooves sounded outside, accompanied by a large dust cloud blowing in through the tent flaps.

"Meirk, why have you brought this foppish creature before me? Who is he?" Asrad demanded, his temper rising at his unannounced guest's arrival.

Meirk simply smiled, her lips only barely rising at the corners of her mouth as she bowed. "May I present Saionji, one who has come from across the sea, and your successor, my most badly mistaken Warlord!"

Both Asrad and Saionji's eyes turned on Meirk, followed by the gaze of a thousand blank faces. Rising from his chair in a fury, Asrad shouted in rage, throwing the heavy wooden object over. "How dare you!? You think to have ME challenged by this weak little man!?" He was about to grab for a massive sword sitting next to the fire pit, it's blade still glowing from the flame's heat, when Saionji stepped between them.

"I did not come to challenge you, nor would I desire any such thing. Please forgive her, she has no reason to speak for me." Saionji said in her defense, his arm stretched to bar the Warlord's advance.

"I don't care what you think, no one stands up to a Warlord and lives! She will pay with her life!" Asrad shouted, snarling into Saionji's face. Standing his ground, Saionji glared into the furious Warlord's eyes, seeing the murder in them, then he noticed the necklace. Realizing where he was looking, Asrad's temper calmed a bit. "You like my prizes?"

"What are they?" Saionji asked.

"Each picture is either one of my victims, or my conquests." Asrad said, pleasure glowing in his eyes. "If a man dares resist me, I kill him for challenging my authority and take his woman, use her up, and cast her aside like the whore she is. If a woman resists, I make her scream while her man is forced to listen. I break them, and then drag them apart so that they can suffer and despair." His voice grew deep, his face wide with a sinister grin.

"You're a beast!" Saionji responded, disgust in his eyes. "I'm leaving, come on Am-" Looking about, he realized Ambrosia was gone. "Where is she!? What did you do to her!?"

"Hahaha! Nothing, yet! You were foolish to dare bring a woman into my presence, then defy me!" Asrad said mockingly, raising his eyes and staring down his nose at Saionji. "A challenge and a Bride can not be ignored, the Old Way must be upheld! Even I can't deny it."

"But I'm not challenging you." Saionji replied, a rising nervousness filling him.

"Very well, then I will take your Bride and kill you now!" Asrad said, his voice filled with perverse glee.

"I see, so you give me no choice." Saionji growled, his eyes growing hard. "Be sure that I will give you no mercy for what you have done."

"Good, mercy is a weakness a real Warlord can't afford. I will enjoy breaking you for your impudence." Asrad replied spitefully. Behind the two men, Meirk watched their conflict, glee shining in her strange eyes. They were acting just as the threads predicted. Soon, the dark sisters' plans would be put into motion, and true Eternity would be theirs.

***

High in the north tower, Althea bustled about, grumbling about her need for a young body. Carrying a heavy helm that belonged to King Davian, the old witch lifted it onto a mannequin with Nemo's face. Satisfied, she looked about the room, her old features twisted into a dark smile. Photos of Nemo had been adorned in every form of the old King's raiment, including pictures carefully changed until the King's face was on one side, while Nemo's was on the other.

"Hahaha," a soft laugh came from the darkness behind her, "excellent, my errant son's nature will be bent until he becomes like me." King Davian stepped free of the darkness, his old frail face radiating both nobility and corruption, a true testament to the power of the world over a man's heart. A strong, but crinkled hand stroked one of the pictures gently. "You should never have stood against me, my son. Now I will take your nameless form and mangle it for what you have dared to do, until only I stand on top."

He swept around, his cape fluttering behind him. Striding intently from the room, he glanced back at Althea. "You know what to do with him. And remember, you must break Prince Utena. If that girl becomes too much trouble, kill her."

"Oh, do not worry about that, my lord." The old witch replied softly. A river flowed gently along, leaving no sign of the current's terrible strength underneath. "My grandson is bringing a weapon to deal with her specifically."

"Good. Make sure all is ready, I will be watching." He disappeared into the darkness, leaving Althea alone once again.

"Of that I am sure my lord." The witch uttered under her breath.

She turned, half stumbling on some forgotten item in the dimly lit room. Making her way around the mannequins, photos, images, and carvings, she approached a large blanket thrown over a portion of the wall. Drawing it aside, she revealed a massive mirror, it's surface dark, barely reflecting her image as she stood before it.

The entire form of dark glass rippled for a moment as the witch's power flowed into it, reaching out across the sea. A mind opened to her, and for a moment, the witch was given pause by what she felt. Cunning, ambition, skill, desire, and more frightening than all others, power. She smiled with delight. Her grandson had grown so much in such a short life, he would be truly admirable when he reached her age.

"How soon will the weapon arrive?" She asked, the flow of words rippling through the surface of the mirror.

"Very soon. We have been sailing for a time already, and are prepared to arrive." A voice replied with cold confidence. The witch shivered again.

"I will be expecting you, but be warned, the castle has fallen to the unmentionable one. I am still here, my lair is secure. Come by night, strike at Utena's heart, rip it out. I want her alive, and her heart intact." Althea said gleefully, the thought of a young, broken heart filling her with vitality.

"Grandmother, you always did place far too much emphasis on beauty. I will get her heart for you, then you will give me what is promised." The youth replied jokingly, but his words carried with them a hint of ominous seriousness.

"Of course," she replied, "your reward will come in due time. Just worry about your part of the bargain, and I will worry about mine." This was a dangerous game, and she knew it. If her grandson got what he wanted, she would fall. If he gave her the heart of Utena Tenjou, she could have her youth and power again. The only question was, who would win this game of cat and mouse? _He may be a prodigy, but he oversteps his bounds. It will be regrettable to lose such an excellent student, but some things have to be sacrificed to have power. I will be able to give birth to new children, but my power is only once, so I best keep it safe._ She would not make a mistake with her grandson, no matter what the cost would be.

A slight slip sent a quill pen from the desk it rested upon to the floor. Althea looked sharply over, her eyes seeking the source of the disturbance. A flash of purple hair and dark skin told her all she needed to know about her intruder.

Gripping the threads hanging all about her, she moved her hands with the skill of a spider. A moment later, four stringed puppets, clothed in trench coats and tricorn hats came marching in. Standing in their midst, Anthy Himemia glared defiantly at the old hag.

"Well, the witch who changed the world! What a pleasure to finally meet you face to face. Please, come in, make yourself comfortable." She motioned, and the door to her lair slowly closed, the lock clicking as it shut.

***

Conall's mind shuddered, unable to perceive the world he had entered. Colors, shapeless forms, sounds that refused human comprehension. He tried to push through, to break the power of the bizarre world he had fallen into, but it refused to answer his desperate pleas for reason.

There was a series of resounding giggles, like little girls laughing down a distant hall. Then screams as rock cliffs and high peaks were ripped asunder by massive black talons. The clash of swords and the chirp of crickets, wood creaking under weight, and breaking apart. The world became black, then a rip formed in front of him, like mucous coated fabric being torn down a thin strip in front of him.

A man came striding out of the gloom, his dark face once beautiful, now nothing more than a mask of uncontained rage. Thundering in the background, steel met steel, it's impact so loud that it drowned his senses and threatened to deafen him.

A banner coated in lochs of hair shattered into splinters, and was replaced by a pole mounted with broken leaves carved from wood pinned to it's length. Two crowns fall to the ground, one is fine, while the other breaks in several places, then becomes overgrown with thorns and vines.

Thousands of masks suddenly erupt from the darkness surrounding him, and are shattered one by one until only two remain. Another appears, much more fearsome than the two, growing until it dominates the others, then wraps around the face of the carrion that broke the mountain. Two more masks appear, each beautiful, one sad and the other happy. They go separate ways, the sad one growing nearer to the great dark bird, while the happy one joins the two smaller masks.

Thunder cracks, and a thousand animals rush over everything, howling, screeching, sending their cries in every direction. Some consume each other, others race about, seeking something in the black wasteland of Conall's mind.

He tried to grip on to anything, any semblance of reality, but none came. Slowly but surely, madness consumed him.

***

Saionji looked about the strange place they were leading him to, a vast forest that coated much of the land surrounding the Kingdom of Ookami. Trees so tall they seemed to rise forever into the sky towered on either side of the tiny path, which was cluttered by thick foliage from thousands of strange, broad leafed bushes. Every once in a while, they would pass a foot high stone statue of a man covered in wild hair, each in a different posture.

Suddenly the path emerged from the trees, revealing a small lake amidst the woods. Saionji stared in wonder at the strange clearing, looking up at the mighty trees' interlacing branches, which refused to allow the sun to shine upon the lake in their midst. Billions of flowers bloomed in the branches, each tree sporting a different color of flower.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Meirk commented, watching Saionji's expression with interest. Behind her, held in restraint by two guards, Ambrosia found herself also entranced by the flowers' beauty.

"They look like, roses! But how?" Saionji said, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

"They are roses, but a different breed than you're used to. Their vines entangle the trees, struggling to reach the light of the sky." Meirk answered, smiling at his confusion. "Long before your duels at Ohtori Academy, sacred places like these existed all over the world. They were made by some ancient people for the purpose of resolving conflicts. The arenas themselves actually become a catalyst for the emotions of the duelists, revealing their innermost feelings. The one you fought in was also ancient, made use of by Akio for his own purposes. Wonders that have never been seen by normal men are found here, and if you look carefully, Eternity as well."

"When Eternity was locked away, these places lost much of what they were, becoming like any other, that is, until Akio reopened one." She continued, her sickly voice seeming to grow stronger and more elegant with each word she spoke. "Now that Eternity is free again, these gates to Eternity are opening, their power restored. The challenge you issued has become a matter of grievance between two who are bound by the Old Ways, and you are fated to fight for the freedom, or bondage of your friend Ambrosia."

Realizing what this meant, Saionji's head lowered, anger seething in his voice. "You tricked me. I don't know why you went through all this trouble, but I swear that neither you nor this Warlord's actions will go unpunished. The duels hurt people, broke hearts, and ruined lives. I have no wish to let this keep going on."

"Good, then you best stop him before he destroys you. Warlord Asrad is a hard man, and will not give you any mercy. Just remember what he will do to your little friend if you fail." Meirk gestured towards the restrained Ambrosia, who was watching them with fearful eyes.

"Don't worry, Ambrosia, I won't fail you." Saionji said, trying to sound brave. Deep within him, however, a chilling fear grew. He hadn't won a duel against anyone strong in a long time, constantly meeting failiure for his efforts. _Utena beat me so easily, and so did the others. Am I really able to win?_ He looked into Ambrosia's eyes, seeing the frightened tears that threatened to burst forth. _I have to win, for her life that I endangered. I can not afford to lose._


	9. Broken Pieces

Chapter 9

Broken Pieces

Utena watched Nemo from behind the door, her expression growing more worried as she watched his strange behavior. He sat hunched over in front of a massive desk, the sound of a quill pen scraping against paper. The only light in the chamber came from a line of candles sitting above the desk.

_What happened to him?_ Utena could hardly understand why he had shown such strange behavior. He had gone from being a noble youth seeking to free his kingdom to a shadowy recluse, writing new laws for his conquered homeland.

"Hehehaha, this will keep those simpletons in line. They need a firm hand to rule them and tell them how to live." Nemo's fevered words drifted from where he sat, somehow seeming scratchy and old.

Unable to contain herself anymore, Utena pushed the door aside, striding intently into the chamber. Hearing the sound, Nemo turned about in the chair, meeting Utena's angry, concerned gaze. But what she saw was far more frightening than she had ever imagined. The strong features of her friend had gone, leaving a strange, cunning glint in his eyes and a grim, aged face behind.

"Nemo, what happened to you?" Utena asked, her voice becoming concerned as she rushed up to him. "You look terrible!"

"Terrible? I've never felt so alive!" Turning about in his chair, he gestured to the notes and papers scattered about the ink-stained surface. "Look at all I've done! These laws and regulations will allow me to control this unruly, undisciplined people." Looking back at her, he smiled with a strange madness that sent shivers up her spine.

"What are you talking about? These are the people you promised to free! Are you going to become a tyrant like your father!?" Utena demanded, tears welling at the edges of her strained eyes.

"Haha, foolish girl. These people are little more than lazy pigs, sitting safely in the shelter of their homes. My father saw the truth, that they needed someone to tell them how to live, so they would be truly useful to the world. I see now what he was doing when he dominated them. He was insuring their obedience, so they could be turned into a real workforce."

Smack! Utena's hand struck Nemo across the cheek, reddening it. "You idiot!" She screamed, tears breaking free of their prison and racing down her face. "You came to free them from this, this slavery! Look at you! You're becoming just like your father!" She stood to her full height, her eyes still full of hurt. "I used to love you, but now you're nothing more than another dictator, determined to control the world around you. You're no better than Akio, and I won't be hurt like that again!"

Utena turned and stalked from the room, barely able to keep from crying as she hurried off down the empty corridors. _How could he do this to them, to us..? Why is this happening all over again..? They're all alike, aren't they!? Every Prince is just another manipulative beast hidden beneath a kind exterior! Well, I've had it! I'm going home!_ She made her way out to the gate, crossing the drawbridge and running for the docks.

"Hey, wasn't that one of the Princes!?" Jim said to Michael, looking out of the gatehouse after Utena.

"Yeah it was. What do you think was wrong?" Michael responded, looking over Jim's shoulder.

"We should follow her and make sure she's safe." Jim said as he grabbed a spear from the wall, hurrying out of the gatehouse after the fleeing Prince.

"Shouldn't we keep an eye on our post?" Michael asked, grabbing a bow and following him.

Looking back, Jim smiled. "Something serious is going on, and I can't stand by and do nothing. You showed me that sometimes doing the right thing is more important than playing it safe."

Sighing with a grin, Michael followed. "You're right, if the Prince is in trouble, we need to do something about it."

The two guardsmen followed after Utena, not realizing how much their actions would change the future. Staring at the door in the writing chamber, Nemo sat there with a troubled expression written on his face. One of the candles upon the mantle extinguished. The room grew darker, casting dancing shadows across the walls.

***

Anthy's body burned in pain, her mind screaming with the terrible agony she was suffering, but no sound came forth from her. Her body was punctured with thousands of foot-long needles, but she refused to feel them. Blood dripped slowly down their lengths, pooling below her as crows landed upon the razor sharp needles, picking at her flesh with their beaks. Still she refused to make a sound, enduring the suffering with a supernatural will.

Althea could not help but be impressed with the girl's resilience, but her refusal to speak was growing frustrating. She had sought to torture Anthy until she learned all the young Witch knew, but Anthy was proving far more willful than she expected.

Taking lemons in her hands, she cut them carefully in half, then squeezed the juice so it ran down the needles into her tormented charge. Anthy winced, but still no sound came forth. Growing more frustrated, the Witch turned and began pulling books violently from the shelves, searching through them for some way she could coax speech from her stubborn prisoner.

"There has to be some way to get you to talk! I will break you, Himemia, mark my words!" Althea hissed in frustration, flipping through page after page, seeking some kind of knowledge to aid her in her work.

She was so busy she failed to notice Anthy's searching eyes. Having born such pain for years, Anthy was so deadened to the pain that no number of tortures could truly break her. Seeing an old tome upon the shelf, the courageous girl slowly reached out, taking it from the shelf. She immediately took a quiet bite from the book, then another and another. The book quickly vanished into her throat, leaving nothing behind.

Althea turned back, grinning as she started clipping tiny electrical cables to certain needles. A hand in the darkness pulled a large switch. Anthy started jerking with painful spasms, quivering from the exquisite pain of the torture. But deeper in her mind, the young Witch was laughing through the pain. _How much more being hated by everyone hurt that this! My friends suffered far worse, and so have I. Will you keep trying, Witch!?_

Frustrated once again, Althea turned to her books once more, glaring as she scoured them for an answer to her dilemma. Reaching out again, Anthy took another book from the shelf, and began consuming it. _Let her try, she is only giving me what I want. _And Anthy continued to endure the pain, silently reveling in her victory over the ancient hag.

***

Slowly, a ship drifted along the coast, breaking free of the fog and sailing in towards the quiet harbor. Floating in the waters about it, hundreds of crows floated dead in the tide, seeming to draw after the ship's wake.

Stepping softly upon the deck, Edric watched the coastline, pushing his glasses further up onto his nose, watching the shore with amusement. _Really grandmother, did you think you could hide your soul from me so easily? You have grown senile, your powers waning in your pride. Soon, I will make you pay for daring to oppose me._

The ship rocked in the shallow swells, the wind driving it into the harbor near the town. Faceless men leapt from the deck, securing ropes along the docks. A gangplank was extended down to the wooden walkway, allowing Edric passage to the shore. He stepped lightly, adjusting the elegant blue shirt he wore as he made his way into the city.

His clever eyes sought along the city's forlorn state, seeking something amongst the buildings and towers. Then his eyes settled upon the cliffside, where the great carving of a wolf's head thrust from the rock face, snarling out at the sea. _There! That's the place I was looking for. Now, all that needs to be done is to arrange the pieces._

***

Asrad stepped up to the edge of the lake, a feral grin spread across his face as he drew out a cruelly curved dagger. Drawing the vicious edge across his left hand, he flung his blood from the wound out across the water, a look of ecstasy lighting in his eyes as he snarled at the unseen sky above.

The lake seemed to swell, sending water racing through a series of trenches hidden along the lake's edges. The trees swayed under a fierce wind, pressing up until they reached skyward, opening the canopy and revealing a massive platform hanging in the air far over their heads.

"Ah!" Saionji cried in astonishment at the sight. Water suddenly raced upward from the lake, twisting like a series of snakes. They twined together, forming into a long flight of stairs that climbed high over the woods, reaching out to the distant tower. "A Dueling Arena!"

"Wondrous, isn't it? The view is even better from up there, especially when I cast your head from it's side!" Asrad said, a cruel gleam in his eye. He turned to Meirk and his soldiers. "Take them to the arena. I can't wait to add another pair of photos to my necklace!"

They made their way up the stairs, growing ever closer to the massive marble platform. As they advanced, Saionji started to notice the skies around them. Thin ribbons of color seemed to dance about, changing shape and flow constantly. One moment, he was watching men leaping upon beasts with spears in hand, then a massive meadow filled with a stunning array of flowers. Cold, whipping snows, gravestones covered in blankets of white. Laughing rivers hopping over stones and through verdant valleys. Nights filled with stars hanging over children laying in grassy swards. Colorful leaves whipping about, driven by gales of wind. A thousand years of history and life passed before his eyes, then simply vanished from the winds.

He found himself looking about at the massive platform, this one adorned with an enormous sigil bearing four branches, each in a different season. He looked over to Asrad, who was now clothed in a long, flowing, sand-colored coat buttoned down the middle. Saionji realized he was now clothed in a similar manner, the coat flowing out in the winds that raced around them.

The guards stepped back, down the stairs, leaving Ambrosia standing near Saionji. She watched in fascination, unable to take her eyes from the spectacle. Meirk approached Asrad, a flowing red dress clothing her slender frame. She reached up to Asrad's high chest, placing a blood colored rose upon the left pocket of the garment. She then crossed the arena, drawing up to Saionji.

As she reached up and placed a teal rose upon his jacket, she spoke to him. "Make sure to take your Bride, or you will not be given the right to bear a sword here." Her whisper carried with it encouragement. "Be victorious, my Favored One. My life and your friend's now rest firmly in your hands."

Meirk drifted back across the field to where Asrad stood, allowing him to grab her firmly about her waist. He gripped her chest firmly, ripping a heavy, curved scimitar from her glowing body. Ambrosia gasped in horror at the sight, unsure what to make of what she had seen.

"It's alright, Ambrosia. This is only a part of the duel. He is taking the sword she bears from her, so that he can fight. I need to draw yours as well." Saionji explained, fervently hoping it wasn't always as painful as it was the time his was taken from him.

"If you say so, I'll do it." Ambrosia put on a brave face for her Prince. Saionji smiled back, his arm taking her gently around her body. As he leaned her back, his right hand hovered over her breast, bringing a deep, glowing light forth. Even as he leaned over her, his eyes met hers, and a passion seemed to ignite. The hilt of the sword thrust from her body, a katana like those he used. Drawing it gently, he pulled the sword free of her, bringing her body back up next to him.

Ambrosia let out a breath of exhilaration, her eyes trailing up Saionji's strong body to his dark eyes. She wanted to stay next to his warm body, feel his passionate embrace, touch his soft skin and hair just a little longer.

Looking back down to her, Saionji gave a small smile, then leaned forward and kissed her lightly upon her lips. The feelings within her erupted in a swell of emotion as he released her, returning his attention to the enemy at hand.

"If you are done playing with your whore, I will be slaughtering you now." Asrad said mockingly, raising his heavy sword.

"I'll make you eat those words!" Saionji replied, stung by his opponent's callous statement.

Rising his sword to his side, he raced at his foe, thrusting with terrible speed. Sidestepping the attack, Asrad threw Saionji aside, grinning as he advanced on his opponent. Saionji wasted no time, rolling and pulling himself back to a fighting stance, his sword at the ready.

"Die!" Asrad leapt, bringing his sword down on Saionji's katana, seeking to shatter the blade with his strike. His confidence evaporated as the blade not only held, but Saionji started pushing him back, step by step.

"You have hurt people, stepped on them, crushed their dreams!" Saionji whispered as he forced Asrad backwards, his strength seeming to grow as he pushed harder and harder. "You stole their lives, you took their Eternity, and for what? Your own pleasure. Now, vengeance has come for you!"

A look of horror crossed the Warlord's face as Saionji shoved, throwing him backwards. He scrambled desperately to his feet, bringing the sword up, parrying the seeking blows of Saionji's katana. His eyes sought wildly for a way out, something he could do to stop his relentless opponent. Then he spotted Ambrosia.

He continued holding off, backing away from Saionji as he circled about, bringing himself between Ambrosia and Saionji. Waiting for the right moment, he turned Saionji's attack right at the young woman. He laughed in triumph, bringing his own blade down to finish his foe as Saionji tried desperately to avoid hitting Ambrosia.

"Saionji, look out!" Ambrosia called, seeing Asrad swing at her Prince. The slashing blade missed his chest as he twisted away, but a long gash ripped at his back as he crashed to the ground, feeling a warm pain rush through him. _I can't do it, I'm going to die..._ Saionji pulled himself to his hands and knees, scrambling to escape his opponent, then he heard her scream.

Ambrosia, unable to stand by any longer, had thrown herself onto Asrad's back, clawing at him with what little strength she had. "Leave him alone!"

"Get off me, you wretched creature!" He snarled, throwing her to the ground. He rose his sword to strike her down. His blade glittered with Saionji's blood as she cried out, but never found it's target. Saionji, seeing her peril, dove forward, wrapping his arms around her. The blade bit into his back, leaving a terrible wound in it's wake. Ambrosia looked up at him with teary eyes as he smiled down at her, blood flecking his lips. He slowly began pushing himself up to his feet.

"Still alive? Not for long!" Asrad struck him as he rose, each cutting deep into Saionji's back, but still he rose. Fear gripped his heart as he watched Saionji turn about, knocking his blade aside. "What are you!?" He said, fear gripping his voice.

"I am a Prince." Saionji said, driving his sword into the Warlord's chest, sending flower petals flying off into the breeze. His life trickling away, Asrad dropped to his knees, staring up at the foe he could not defeat.


	10. The Price of a Name

Chapter 10

The Price of a Name

Althea, having grown far too frustrated with her efforts to break Anthy, turned her attention to breaking down Prince Nemo. She smiled gleefully as she entered the sanctum of her work, looking about at the broken threads and dangling strings where small pieces of various items hung. Passages had opened deeper into his mind and soul, allowing the old Witch to push directly into the heart of her victim.

Walking down into the shrouded darkness, her eyes moving with practiced confidence after every darting shadow and flitting movement. The mind of another could be a dangerous place.

Sighting a cluster of golden threads amongst the dark hangings of the Prince's mind, she reached out, snapping them with her long, sharp fingernails. The pictures hanging from the end fell to the ground, a childlike laughter emanating from them right before they shattered into a cloud of dust upon the jagged stones that covered the floor. Heading further in, she continued breaking threads and strings, leaving their strands limp and lifeless where they hung.

Suddenly a series of snarls and growls erupted about her, and she found herself standing in a natural catacombs, filled with ropes and vines, each holding objects and memories much stronger to the Prince than those she had seen before. Also amongst the stone pillars, the glint of savage eyes and blood coated teeth within the feral mouths of her stalkers.

One of the bloodthirsty pack of wolves approached, it's fur colored in crimson and marked with sable. "You have come into sanctified territory, intruder. By what power shall you be safe?"

Without even a moment's hesitation, the creature lunged at Althea, it's fangs wide as it struck.

The others, seeing their leader attack, rushed her from all sides, their snarls echoing through the dark caves. Quickly overwhelmed, the Witch disappeared under their combined attack. Blood and gore flew through the air as they thrashed about, tearing with fang and claw.

The frenzy was short lived, however, for when they rose, their leader lay slaughtered under them. Looking about, the wolves quickly raced back amongst the pillars, searching for a sign of their prey.

One of them spotted her, gave out a long howl, then went tearing after her. Leaping out, it found itself tangled in the ropes hanging from the chamber's sides. The others, having heard the call, came running. They spotted the Witch, who looked towards them. Terror covered her face as they leapt atop her, snapping the ropes she was tangled in, and killed her.

The game of cat and mouse went on for some time, but finally, only one pair of footsteps could be heard in the dark passageways.

***

Utena ran as fast as her legs would carry her, trying to escape this land. _This is just like Ohtori, just like what happened then! I won't suffer like that again, I won't be tricked and betrayed._ She carried on, her eyes squeezed tight shut, her legs beating on the rough dirt coated road. She didn't see the man standing in her way, she couldn't know the peril that lay in her path.

"Oof!" Utena cried in surprise as she hit the man and fell reeling backwards. Rubbing her head where she hit it upon the ground, she looked up and started to apologize, but the words caught in her throat as she saw his face. "Ah, excuse me, I didn't mean to bump into you like tha-"

Her eyes went wide with terror at the sight. A mad light shone in his once beautiful eyes, his dark, handsome face twisted in perverse delight. "Utena! I have come for you!" Akio shouted, his eyes growing wild as he gripped the sword at his side. Drawing the blade from it's sheath, he pointed it at Utena, his face a picture of fiendish pleasure.

Scrambling up, Utena ran from the fearsome apparition. _No, it can't be Akio. He's dead, isn't he? Why is all of this happening!?_ She tore down the streets, trying desperately to escape the fallen Prince.

Further up the street, a pair of glasses flashed in the waning daylight. Turning from the pursuit, he began doing what he did so well. Others who manipulated their world liked tugging at the threads, drawing everything into their power by subtle control over the fates they thought they had a hand in. He knew better than them.

Drawing up a handful of dust, he let it slide slowly from his grip, blowing into it as he turned back and forth. South, east, north, east, south, east. He finally finished dropping the dust back to the ground, where it formed a tiny hill in the path.

Walking back to the ship, he grinned to himself. Prince Utena would face a dire challenge because of what she had done, and she would face it alone. Swords would avail much under the Old Way, but they could not protect one from their fate without destiny on their side. Utena had been drawn into casting hers aside to save herself from her fears, and soon she would pay the price of leaving the path set before her.

Akio was gaining on her, drawing closer and closer, his mad laughter at the though of slaughtering his hated foe ringing in her ears. She dashed right, her path leading towards the sea. The road was quickly going to hit the port, where she would be caught in the open.

She turned left down a small alley, dodging around the remains of an old truck. Akio was still gaining, throwing himself over the ruined vehicle with one hand. The alley burst back into the road, leaving Utena in the open again. Looking right then left, she ran north towards the castle, hoping for some refuge there.

"I'm going to enjoy making you suffer, Tenjou! You ruined everything, and now you will pay, with your life!" Akio taunted as he gained on her. She risked a glance back, only confirming her worst fears. Not only was Akio quite a bit taller, he also seemed to have some unnatural vitality. She was pouring sweat, trying to maintain her pace, while he was running easily behind her, each step cutting precious inches from her desperate lead.

She decided to try losing him again. Grabbing an old stoplight pole that had long since cease to work, she swept down another street, then immediately hurried into an open door on her right. Running down the dark, dismal passage, she found herself emerging back into the sunlight. She looked about, seeing the only path led off to the left. heading up the mountain.

Looking back, she sighed with relief that there was no sign of Akio. She began walking up the mountainside path, unknowing of the peril directly ahead of her.

***

Ragnarok dragged his weary body along through the woods, his tongue lolling from one side of his mouth. He had been pressing on for days, but never seemed to get any further. The forest itself seemed to rise up against him, undergrowth clawing at his body and briars leaving scratches that marred his fur in blood. _I know I won't be able to press on much longer, but I have to succeed, for the sake of... for the sake of... Why am I out here again? What was it I was doing before all of this happened?_

Too tired and confused to continue, the wolf sat down on his haunches, looking up at the sky overhead. He could see the clouds slowly turning a dusky red with the fall of night, slowly swirling in a great circle overhead. Chasing themselves endlessly in their flow with the wind.

"Wait! Clouds don't flow in circles like that!" Ragnarok took to his feet again, still watching the clouds carefully. Indeed they were following each other, refusing to break the constant pattern of their flow. They were also all colored by sunlight on the inner rim. Realizing what this meant, he cursed angrily at himself. "How could I be so foolish!? I'm under a spell! No wonder I couldn't find anything! If I keep going like this, I won't be able to help anyone, best get some rest."

Sighing wearily, he laid himself down upon the soft loam of the woodland floor. Sleep swept in quickly, drawing Ragnarok in it's embrace. There was no peace for him in sleep, however.

A crash of thunder sounded overhead, tearing into his ears as he tried to keep himself in the realm of dreams. "No more, no more. I don't want to deal with it anymore." He growled and swept his paws in the water, as if trying to drive the waves from him. Suddenly realizing there was something terribly wrong with this, he awoke, looking about at the pounding rain and relentless waves sweeping all about him.

He began paddling with all his might, trying to keep his head above water. Then, amongst the towering waves and flashes of lightning, he spotted a tiny figure, struggling against the terrible might of the sea. The boy swam on, regardless of the peril and the terrible power of the waves that constantly sought to drag him into the folds of their depths.

"My Prince!" Ragnarok called, but the waters crashed and the lightning roared overhead, drowning his words as surely as the sea would consume them. Drawing closer, he exerted his might against the sea, pressing onward towards the determined boy.

"My Prince, grab ahold of me! We will make it, just let me help you!" He yelled. There was no answer, but the gleam in the young Prince's eyes shone like a blazing fire, defying all peril. He knew immediately how great this boy would rise to become, one who could change the world.

"Don't worry, I will protect you no matter what, Prince..." Within his dream, Ragnarok struggled to remember the next word. _What was it..? What was it that I called him..? Why can't I remember..? The Witch's touch, the power that gave me this form! That's why! I have to break free! His name... His name! His name is the answer!_

A spark lit deep within the woodland, glowing in the pitch blackness of the night. It's glow was tiny, barely existent against the oppressive weight of the darkness, but it was there. A voice clawed desperately into the brave wolf's mind. _Ragnarok, help me..._

Snapping awake, the wolf rose from where he lay, a new vitality rising within him. _My Prince is in trouble! I will not fail him!_ His paws began to move, step after step, challenging the weakness of his body. The spark sat dying for a moment, guttering in the darkness. Then, without warning, it grew. Just a tiny bit, as it warmed a leaf in the loam. The leaf caught fire, growing slowly. The heat began igniting sticks and brush, a small tree, a large bush, then more and more.

"I'm coming, my Prince! I will not fail you!" Ragnarok called, rallying all the strength he could muster. Charging through the woods, he ran to the aid of his Prince, the woods turning into a mighty blaze in his wake. His howl was answered by others as wolves came racing ahead of the fire, sending forth their battle cries. The Knights had awoken once again.

***

Althea had crushed everything in her path, shattering the mind and soul of Prince Nemo. She made her way through the dark halls, her eyes set on the last unconquered place within the young man. Threads and webs, cords and ropes all hung broken behind her, the shattering of the boy's mind and ruin of his memories weakening him and making him question his existence.

Coming down into his final stronghold, the Witch looked on with pleasure at the sight of the last bastion of his resistance. A small walled stronghold that contained his heart. Without anything else to hold it, the walls had cracked, the door had fallen, his will was all but broken. Nemo was now ready to be made of use for his father.

A figure stepped out, cloaked in darkness and shadowed in face. The figure stood to bar the Witch, drawing a sword in defiance of Althea's power. Leaning upon her staff, she shook her head, her grin showing only disdain for the guardian standing before her.

"No one! That mockery of a name has no more use to me!" The ancient Witch cackled as she hobbled up to the entrance of the ruined stronghold. "You thought it would protect you, but that name is now your bane. You have no identity, no self, nothing! Bow and surrender the last of yourself!"

The figure did not move, or show any sign of being phased by her words. _Why isn't he breaking? He has nothing left within him to hold on to!_ She glared, trying to pierce the darkness, but to no avail. There was still some kind of power left within him, something that defied her power to break.

Casting aside her cloak, she pulled herself up to face the impudent guardian. "You are done. I have a name for you, and you will bear it for the rest of your life. Weakness. When others see you, they will know your name and remain apart from you, for you will always fail them. Perhaps, when your father thinks well enough of you again, you will be given a proper name, but for now, you shall not oppose me, for you are weak!"

Still the figure stood, defiant of her words. _Why does this one still resist? All the others failed, all the others finally broke under my power! How does this one stand!?_

Unable to contain her irritation any longer, Althea snarled at the figure. "Reveal yourself! How dare you refuse to bow to my will!?"

"Nemo's heart isn't here." The figure answered, but in a voice she never expected to hear. "He gave it away, and if you want it, you must defeat me." The shadows fell away, revealing a girl with long pink hair, proudly sporting a boy's uniform, and bearing a sword.

"Utena Tenjou! How can you be here!?" Althea demanded, her old voice cracking in rage.

Utena smiled. "I don't have to be, but Nemo already gave me his heart. As long as he loves me, there's nothing you can do. You may have broken every other part of him, but this place belongs to me, and I won't let you take it."

Hissing every vile curse she knew, the Witch threw herself at the guardian, swinging her staff at Utena. Gripping the sword with both hands, Utena met the staff with the blade. As they clashed, a brilliant blast of light erupted.

Althea felt a great force slam into her, throwing her back. When she opened her eyes, she was lying against the wall of her tower room, her hands smoking and throbbing in pain. Her staff lay upon the table, broken in two.

Unable to believe what just happened, she pulled herself to her feet and uttered another obscenity as she gripped the staff. It came only an inch from the table before turning to ash, falling in a long pile over her books and instruments.

"No! My staff!" She screamed in her rage, when terror suddenly turned her blood cold. She could hear the howl of wolves.


	11. The Way Things Were

Chapter 11

The Way Things Were

"Do you see it!?" Meirk asked, her weak voice beaming with delight. She hurried up to Saionji, her face aglow.

"See what?" Saionji asked, putting a protective arm around Ambrosia.

"The power! You have been awoken, my illustrious Prince, and the time has come for you to rise!"

"Listen, I'm not interested in these schemes, and I want nothing to do with power." He replied, taking Ambrosia's hand. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Her eyes shining, the young lady followed after him. They made their way from the woods, breaking the cover of the trees. Feeling Ambrosia slow, Saionji turned to look at her. "Is everything alright?" He asked.

"Uh, well, I just wanted to thank you for protecting me, Saionji. After all, I'm only a peasant girl, and you, you're a Prince!" Turning her head aside, she tried to hide the building fear in her eyes. "I guess that you'll be going soon, and I wanted to thank you for looking after me. This was the biggest adventure of my life, like a dream. Now it's over, and I-"

Saionji's finger touched her lips, silencing her sad words. "That's enough, I don't want to hear it." His words should have made her angry, but the way he said them was so kind, it set her heart racing again. She wanted, longed so desperately to believe him, that the adventure wasn't over, that she wouldn't have to leave him.

She looked back up, her eyes trailing shyly towards his. When they met, she could see the deep, sincere compassion in his soul. Falling into his arms, she buried her face in his broad shoulder, thin tears trickling out from the corners of her eyes. For ever they seemed to stand there, locked in each other's embrace.

Watching from the shadows, Meirk smiled, her strange eyes shifting under the bright sunlight. She slid her mask from the folds of her heavy robes, holding it beside her face. "He really is foolish, thinking he is controlling his own destiny." She whispered to no one in particular. "Soon he will see, and two Princes shall be held under our sway."

"We can have nothing less, sister mine." The identical face of Kriem had replaced the mask held in Meirk's hand, and the two sisters started walking in separate directions through the dark trees, slowly circling about Saionji and Ambrosia. In a nearby tree, a spider was working industriously, setting the threads for it's web.

The twins finally stopped their circling, sitting with backs facing each other. Pulling out a pair of curious flutes, they began to play. The eerie, synchronous melodies danced through the trees, drawing snakes of every size and kind from their dens. The girls were quickly surrounded by serpents, swaying to the rhythm of the music.

***

"Captain, we have secured the castle, but Prince Nemo isn't here." The wolf sat on his haunches, awaiting Ragnarok's response. He didn't notice, too upset with himself for failing to be here for his Prince. _Nemo, where have you gone? What has happened to you?_

Turning away from the wolf Knight, Ragnarok stalked towards the keep, his eyes burning. "Tell the Knights to secure the castle, and commence a search. I want the Bloodsnouts to scour every crevice and crack. We must find Prince Nemo!"

His ears twitched reflexively, and he looked over to see Ryan running up. He looked both alarmed and relieved to see his friend returned. "Ragnarok, thank goodness you're here! Things have been crazy since you left!" He stopped, resting his hands on his knees as he breathed a little heavily from his sprint.

"I think it would be best if you explained what has happened, Sword Bearer." Ragnarok replied.

"Well it all started when..." Ryan began.

High over their heads, the angry Witch watched the gathering and scattering Knights in the courtyard. They would ruin her plans. She had to make her escape before they found her. Even if she could face down the Knights of Ookami, she couldn't possibly stand against Ragnarok and his host if they assembled together. Turning to two of her soldiers, she gestured with her hand.

They promptly took the coats and weapons from their blank forms, replacing them with clothes from a pair of suitcases set upon a small wooden table. Althea took a lock of long hair from her pocket and looped it around one's neck, then picking up a sword and handing it to the other. The two figures disappeared into the darkness.

Motioning for another, she slid her hand aside, then turned back to the scene below. The soldier bowed and swept about, marching into the darkness with a small group in his wake. As they left, Althea walked over to the wall and started throwing things from the shelf to the floor. An ant farm shattered as it broke, sending the tiny creatures reeling from the shock. They dug at the dirt, trying to free themselves from their broken home.

Finally clearing the shelf, Althea took hold of a small bag of crumbs from her side, and tossed them to the floor of the balcony. It was only a short time before a number of crows came to peck at the bread. They were not alone, however, as some of the ants, free of their prison, found the crumbs as well.

***

Anthy stood, stretching her body. She still had many aches from being so cruelly restrained, but such small pains hardly bothered the young former Witch. Despite the best of Althea's torture, her resolve had held, and she had gained much more than she could have hoped to before.

"Chuchu!" Her little furry friend squeaked, waving the knife he had cut her bonds with.

"Thank you very much, Chu Chu." She smiled as he scurried up onto her shoulder. Looking about for anything else that might be useful, her eyes scanned meticulously over the shelves.

"Chu! Chu! Cheau!" Chu Chu squealed, waving the knife as menacingly as he could at the door.

Turning her attention to it, Anthy hurried around the table covered in instruments, crouching to avoid being seen. The door slammed open as one of the black coats stepped in, followed by his group. Upon seeing the torture chair empty, they drew their blades, eyes darting about for signs of danger.

Unwilling to see his mistress threatened, Chu Chu leapt out, his small mind contemplating how heroic he looked. He swept the knife at the leader of the men, squeaking and growling as ferociously as his tiny body would allow.

Undaunted by his tiny foe, the man swept his rapier down, trapping the little monkey under his blade. "Foolish creature, you should not make yourself so obvious a target." The man said, his dark voice full of confidence.

"Leave him alone!" Anthy yelled with all of the fury she could muster as she brought a large vase down on the man's head with a crash. Unprepared for the attack, he dropped under the heavy blow. His men quickly swarmed up to take his place. Just as they were about to lunge over the table, however, one of them yelled in pain.

Still growling, Chu Chu stabbed the knife into the hand of the now injured soldier. Glowering, the man next to him swept his sword back to split Chu Chu. As he turned, his blade tipped a jar of oil over on his coat. Hearing this, he turned, dragging his drenched sleeve over a candle. Within the space of a breath, the man was an inferno, blazing furiously inside his oil soaked coat.

Shouting in rage, the injured man rushed around the table to attack Anthy, only to hear a creaking behind him. He had bumped one of the shelves too hard bringing it toppling over on top of him. The remaining guards hurried emotionlessly around their dead and dying companions, intent on finishing Anthy. Just as they closed, a series of howls rang out, and a team of Ragnarok's Knights joined the fray.

Leaping upon the backs of their adversaries, they clawed and bit, ripping and rending the flesh of their foes with ruthless efficiency. One of them stalked around the table, bowing his forelegs politely before Anthy. "Please, come with us, miss Himemia. Ragnarok has need of you."

***

Saionji and Ambrosia hurried down the old path, making their way out into the open fields. High upon the hills of the camp, the men were celebrating. They stood there for long moments, staring in wonder at the change that had come over the men on the hill.

Gone were the violent, barbaric rabble that had been in the lower camps, gone were the myriad crude stacks of war supplies. In their place were men dressed in fine, glittering armor, each wearing proud tabards and well-kept weapons. Bright banners now flew high over the tents that surrounded and climbed the hill, white with green borders. Upon the doors of the tents, heraldry was now proudly presented in place of the tattered hangings. Each bore their own symbols, but one was a constant, a great oak over a gold bar sinister.

Stepping cautiously into the camp, Saionji tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Suddenly the men came pouring down about him, shouts filling the air. He grabbed his sword, but before he had a chance to draw the weapon, he was swept into the air, and deposited upon a large chair made of oak and iron. The men proceeded to parade up the mountain, carrying him amidst the blast of trumpets.

"Saionji, what's going on!?" Ambrosia called over to him from another chair that was being borne up along the left side of his.

"I-I don't know!" He yelled back, his eyes reflecting the confusion he saw in hers.

They were carried up to the grand pavilion atop the hill, where a great flag bearing the oak and gold bar crest flew upon it's central pole. The men quickly formed into flawless ranks on either side of the chairs, standing at the ready.

"What's going on here!" Saionji demanded, looking for someone to answer him. As if on cue, the twins Kriem and Meirk stepped out of the pavilion, bowing low before him.

"The Old Way has been fulfilled..." Meirk started.

"...and a new Prince has arisen." Kriem finished.

"It is your time, Prince Saionji. All that you behold is yours," they said in unison as they rose, "and anything you command shall be done."

"What? You can't be serious?" Saionji wasn't sure he believed them.

"What is dictated will be true, even unto death, Prince Saionji. You command and it shall be, no one under you will question that right." Kriem said.

"When you defeated Asrad in battle, you took his right as Warlord, stolen from your fallen and lost homeland, and restored it to yourself." Meirk said.

"These are not just your men now, but they are also your kin, the blood of your fathers and those that served them. You are a Prince, by legacy and by blood, both bound to duty and given the right to rule." Kriem explained.

"The Old Way demands many things of it's chosen, and places power only in those destined to rise to truly great heights. You are a Prince, those heights can only be claimed by your kind. Cast aside the ordinary, and rise to meet your destiny." Meirk continued.

The sisters bowed low, followed by the entire contingent surrounding the two bewildered teens. As they rose again, a cry caught in the breeze as each man shouted in unison. "All hail Prince Saionji, champion of the Golden Oak, and ruler of all he desires! Sai-on-ji! Sai-on-ji! Sai-on-ji!"

***

Utena wasn't sure just how far she had walked along the winding path. The city had been left behind as the beaten walkway trailed up amongst the rocks of the mountainside. The cliffs upon her left grew higher and higher, and the drop to her right all the more perilous.

She dared a look back, wondering if she couldn't find another way. The thought of Akio still following somewhere behind her quickly changed her mind, and she headed further along, hoping to find a way off the mountainside.

"Well, this is a fine mess I've gotten into." She said to no one in particular. "I don't know where Anthy is, the others have gone missing too, and Nemo reveals his true colors." She sighed in frustration, trying to convince herself that she was only angry. A lone tear crawled off her cheek, dripping to the rocks far below.

"Feeling alone, well no matter. You'll be dead soon, anyway." Utena whirled about, her eyes falling upon Akio.

"Akio!?" Panic gripped her again, but before she could run, he caught her by the shoulder. Lifting her into the air, he laughed mockingly as he dangled her off the edge of the high cliff.

"Hahahaha! Now you die for your crimes, Utena Tenjou!" With a mighty throw, he cast her off the ledge, and towards the rocks below.


	12. The Shadow of Death

Chapter 12

The Shadow of Death

Utena clawed at the air in desperation, her heart pounding like a drum. _Is this it? Am I going to die? _It was strange, but as she fell, a strange calm began flowing over her, and she started to drift, her struggles against the intangible winds ceasing. _Maybe it's meant to be this way, maybe I am supposed to die here._ A gasp. The struggle returned, even stronger than before. _No, this is wrong! My friends, I'll never see them again! If I die, and they need me, oh my God, what have I done!? I have to live! I have to be there for them!_

Suddenly she felt the water surging around her, pulling and clawing at her clothing, dragging her into their depths. For a moment, she was sure she would be cast against the rocks, her body broken. Then time seemed to stand still, as if being given pause all around her.

A brilliant light erupted from her pocket, shining out like a star. She reached in, sliding out the Rose Crest that she had kept there. The waters surged up around her, becoming more and more solid as she was carried skyward.

"What!?" Utena looked around at the stair of coral that rose up from the sea, climbing the mountainside. The whole thing was carved with ripples and waves, twisting and dancing as they twisted around the face of rock that stood against the might of the sea's waters. "Is this... a Dueling Arena?"

Her mind turned back to Akio, realizing he was still near. She looked back down the flight of stairs, catching sight of him as he came running up the coral steps towards her.

"Utenaaa!" He roared, brandishing his sword as he charged after her, rage burning in his eyes. "I will see you dead, Tenjou! You can't escape death forever!"

Akio jerked sharply, stopping him. Embedded in his back, a long shaft thrust, ending in a sharp point that protruded from his chest. Turning about slowly, he struggled to hold himself up as he sought the one who shot the arrow.

Michael stared up at Akio, the bow still squeezed tightly in his hand. _That's right, you monster. Keep away from our Prince!_ A shiver of fear rippled down his spine as Akio started walking back down towards them, each step stronger than the last.

Slowly, the agony disappeared from the fallen Prince's face, replaced by perverse delight. "Hahahahaha! So he was telling the truth!" Akio laughed, gripping the shaft and ripping it from his body. "Now that hatred fills my heart, I have found something Eternal! I will hate and destroy that which I hate forever!"

Jim moved to bar Akio's passage, holding the spear up defensively. "Don't come any closer! I'm warning you!" He tried to keep his voice steady, but the sight of the bleeding hole in Akio's chest filled him with fear. He had seen death before, but never one who defied it.

The waves of the sea crashed against the rocks. Jim found himself lying against the mountainside, blood crawling down his neck. He tried to move, but his body barely acknowledged his commands.

Michael rushed over to his companion, kneeling next to him. "Jim, Jim! Speak to me! Stay with me Jim, I'll help you!" He didn't see the sword fall, striking him in the side. "Aaaagh!"

"No! Akio you monster!" Utena yelled, rushing down the coral steps towards Akio. She leapt upon his back, pounding against it with her fists.

Undaunted by the attack, he swept his arm about, throwing her to the ground again. "You really think you can hurt me, don't you Utena." His smile grew as he looked down at her prone form, an idea forming in his mind. "How about we make a deal."

"A deal? Why would I want to deal with you?" Utena started pushing herself up, but was halted by the point of Akio's blade.

"Because if you don't, I'll kill all of you here and now." He replied, a cold glint of his former cleverness reflecting in his eyes.

"What kind of deal?" Utena asked, trying to stall for time.

"We duel, one last time. If you win, I won't kill your friends. If I win, I will take back the power you stole from me." His smile brought memories back to Utena, memories of how he had twisted her around his finger. She wouldn't fall into that trap again, but she had little choice except to take his offer.

"Fine." She replied.

***

Nemo looked up from his desk, a strange twist of emotions filling him. He felt lost and confused. _The laws must be completed, or my people will... No! They don't need me lording over them! Utena said so! She said... she... she left me... she went away. Why did she leave? You're a monster, that's why! You drove her off, and now she hates you, pitiful Prince! You don't deserve to live! But Utena wouldn't want that, and my people need me. Yes, they need me, to write laws, to make them behave. To rule their simple minds, to-_

"Aaaagh!" Nemo screamed, grabbing his head in his hands. "What's wrong with me!?"

"Nemo, are you alright?" A sweet voice said from behind him.

"Utena!?" Nemo nearly fell out of the chair, stumbling as he ran up to her. He threw his arms about her, tears streaming from his cheeks. "You came back!"

"What's all the excitement about?" She laughed, drawing back from his embrace.

"I'm just glad to see you." He replied, joy filling his voice.

"Excuse me, my Princes, but we need to leave. Saionji's army is poised for attack, and we must go and ready the troops waiting in the city." Ryan said urgently, gesturing for them to follow him.

"Of course, the troops will need us to be there in preparation for battle." Nemo replied, following them out of the dusty room.

Utena looked over at Ryan, their faces impassive as they followed Nemo out. He didn't see, the blindfold that had been placed over his eyes, nor would he understand all that was happening. The puppets walked after the blind man, one wearing Utena's clothes and hair, the other carrying Nemo's sword and bearing Ryan's tunic.

***

"My Prince Saionji, an army is assembling in Ookami. They are poised to attack our encampment." The messenger said hastily, kneeling before Saionji. All around them, the celebration stopped as the men looked to their new Prince.

_Not again!_ Saionji's eyes darted nervously about. _I don't know how to lead these men! Think Saionji! What would Touga do at a time like this? He would order the men to assemble and... and... attack! That's it! We need to strike before they can!_

Drawing himself up to his full height, he cleared his throat in what he hoped would sound like an officious manner. "Prepare the soldiers! We march on the city in two hours!" He declared with a confidence he didn't feel.

Smiling to each other behind his back, the twins drifted up on either side of him. "A wise choice, Prince Saionji." Meirk whispered, resting a slender hand upon his broad right shoulder.

"But don't forget, your Princess must be protected and watched over too, or she could be hurt." Kriem said, her sickly voice barely drawing his attention more than it needed to.

"Yes, make sure she is well cared for. I don't want her put in any danger." Saionji said somewhat absently.

"As you wish, oh wise Prince." They intoned together, pulling long strings as they walked away. The cotton balls in Saionji's ears fell free. They walked back to the main pavilion, their eyes falling on the gagged and restrained Ambrosia. Kriem gestured to the guards holding her as Meirk walked up and removed the mask from the face of the scout. Everything was falling into place, just as predicted.

They didn't notice a tiny blue creature following the guards as they walked Ambrosia off down the hill.

***

Long ago in Ookami Castle's history, there had been many struggles and dangers. Kingdoms warring against each other, while death loomed to consume the weak. Althea knew, she had been there in those days. She knew the peril, and what men would do to protect themselves. She also knew how to take advantage of it.

She moved from shadow to shadow, vanishing with each step into the darkness. Her foot went up from the firm stone floor of the hall, and came down in the loose rubble of the mountains.

Smiling back at the dark walls of the castle, she trudged up the mountain's climb, making her way from her foes. _Soon enough, Prince Nemo will be here, and I can continue shaping him._ Crows went flapping into the sky. Althea looked cautiously about, seeing the mirrors standing behind the rocks and leaning against the short hill shrubs.

A wary smile crossed her wrinkled face for a moment. "I trust all has been well, grandmother." The soft voice came from somewhere nearby.

"Always, and I see my favorite grandson has been hard at his studies." She replied, her voice terribly calm.

"I was taught by the best."

"Yes, and you have so much potential to learn more. Are you back to seek your grandmother's wisdom again, Edric?" Her grin grew until it nearly divided her old face.

The dimming sun reflected off a pair of glasses, revealing one of the mirrors to be more than it seemed. "I am ready to learn from the mistress who taught me so well, and can hardly wait for her next lesson to be demonstrated." Edric replied, his own voice a soothing whisper.

"Good, I am glad you have come to learn. I will teach you one of the most important lessons of all today." Althea's smile vanished into the folds of her wrinkled face. "At the top of a mountain, there is only enough room for one to stand."

Her eyes shifted, seeing the world underneath the layers. She shifted her foot, watching as the mirrors slipped from their standing places and shattered against the ground. Still standing firmly ahead of her, Edric smiled as he leaned with his shoulder resting against the tree, his hands in his pockets. Overhead the crows were wheeling in the sky, their eyes searching the ground intently.

_He's quite confident in his abilities, far too confident for his own good._ She concentrated once again. Scissors crept out of the darkness, cutting swaths of threads that led into Edric's pockets. He pulled his hands out, looking at the severed ends in disgust. _He thought he could hide them from my eyes, but he has yet to see how powerful I truly am!_

Raising her hands, she offered them in a hugging embrace to her grandson. He in turn approached, taking hold of her. The serpents struck, biting deep into him. He jerked, spasms ripping through his body as the venom quickly overtook his muscles, freezing them in death's grip.

"Ahahahaha! You thought to outwit me, foolish child!" The old Witch laughed triumphantly, her arms still wrapped about her dying grandson. She softened her voice mockingly as she gazed into his eyes. "You should have remained my pawn, served me as before. It seems that your arrogance has finally cost you your life. It will be okay, I will only grow stronger, and soon I shall be immortal! The body of Anthy Himemia will be an excellent vessel for my powerful spirit!"

Suddenly terror filled Althea as she felt chilling words drift to her ears. "Not so, grandmother mine."

Looking down at Edric again, she saw not the young man wearing glasses, but another, a stranger wearing clothes belonging to Edric, his face crisscrossed with threads of deception. His arms had become rigid with the poison, and she found herself locked in his death embrace.

Walking around from behind her, Edric took his glasses from the deceased body, placing them upon his own nose. "Now the lesson is complete. Anthy Himemia taught me well of the art of deceiving one's foes into trapping themselves."

"What!? You lied! You said you had been taught by the best! How can you break the oath of words!?" She demanded, furious rage filling her eyes.

"I didn't lie, you have been outdone." Edric replied, a faint hint of pride in his voice. "She is now your superior in every way, and will be much more useful to me than you were. It's a shame really, that after all this time you underestimated me."

"You tricked me." Her voice slowly became admiring as realization dawned on her. " Just as I twisted the Prince, you made my thoughts betray me. Well done, my favorite grandson, I didn't see how far you came, and you have shown me a great deal of truth."

"It is too bad you will never have a chance to learn from it." Edric replied, his voice now deadly serious.

"Sadly, you still failed. The one lesson you didn't take to heart will kill you."

"What lesson is that?" He asked, his eyes laughing.

"Never show yourself until you've won." She smiled again, thrusting her hand out to seize his leg.

"Foolish woman, I didn't." He replied. As the snake leapt off her sleeve, it struck a glass surface, breaking it apart. The last mirror fell, shattered by her attack. Althea cursed venomously as she struggled to free herself of the dead man's embrace. She didn't realize that the crows had begun to land about her...

***

Utena found herself standing upon the Dueling Arena once again, staring across at Akio. She could feel her fear rising, but stubbornly pushed it aside. Across the field, Akio stood ready with his longsword in hand. Dark eyes glittered as he took up a combat stance.

Suddenly realizing she wasn't armed, Utena spoke up in protest. "Wait, where's my sword? And aren't we going to wear roses for the duel?"

Akio smiled cruelly, his eyes glittering with heartless mirth. "We never agreed upon the terms of the duel, other than if you won I would not kill your friends, and if I won, the Power of Dios would become mine once again." The smile became even more fiendish. "In other words, you can try to survive my wrath!"

Without another word, he rushed at Utena, his sword seeking her heart. Knowing she had no way to defend herself, she ran, looking frantically for a weapon. Surrounding them were great wooden doors, and beyond, revolving like a storm were the Swords of Hatred.

Desperate for some escape, she gripped the handle of a door and began pulling, but it refused to give way. Akio shouted, swinging for her back. Utena jumped aside, narrowly escaping the blade as it bit into the door.

"You can't escape me now, Tenjou! I will kill you!" Akio taunted, laughing as he pursued his beleaguered prey.

Utena moved quickly, gripping a door by the frame and leaning out. She grasped at the whirling swords, trying to take one by the hilt. The razor edge of one of the blades cut her hand, and a second bit into her arm.

"Aah!" She cried in pain, drawing her bleeding arm away from the spiteful blades.

"Die!" Akio's sword once again came close to hacking through her leg. Utena leapt from her perch, hitting the floor hard and rolling several feet. She rose slowly, holding her bleeding hand against her chest. Panic filled her as she stumbled away from her relentless attacker.

_I have to escape! He'll kill me!_ As frightened tears crawled down her face, she scrambled across the arena, looking for some avenue of escape. She caught a glimpse of someone else out of the corner of her eye. She rushed towards them, then paused. _Are my eyes lying to me?_

Standing on the far edge of the arena, a young boy watched her. His eyes were filled with sorrow, his clothes tattered and hanging like rags from his sea-soaked body. Across his back hung a sword, and in his hand, a red rose.

_A boy!? What is he doing here? What if he gets hurt? _Resuming her dash, she skidded to a stop in front of the boy. "Listen, you need to get out of here! We need to run!"

He looked at her, his noble eyes sad. "Why?"

Utena was taken aback by the question. _Doesn't he understand? Akio will kill me, and him too if he stays._ "There's someone dangerous here. He'll hurt us both if we stay."

"I'm not afraid of him, why are you?" The boy's reply sapped the air from Utena's lungs.

_Why-why am I afraid? I don't have a sword. I can't fight him. I'm running from..._ Realization flowed into her. _I'm running from my fears, from my hurt. Akio is my fear, a fear that continues to chase me. He wants to destroy me, to take my nobility, to rob me of who I am!_

Looking up at the boy again, she stepped back in surprise. Gone was the wet, tattered boy that had stood before her, replaced by a young man. His eyes were like fire, nobility and strength flowing from him like water. His gaze met hers, sad but brave. "Utena, I promised I would never leave you, no matter what. I can't help you if you don't want me to, but I will always be here."

Utena's breath caught in her throat, tears spilling down her face. "Nemo..."

She rushed into his arms, finding warmth and safety in his embrace. In that one place, she could find peace, where no fear could pursue her. She looked up at him again, hope in her eyes. He smiled sadly, "I wish I could help you, but I have no strength to fight, and this is your fear."

"My fear? Akio..." She stood slowly, determination growing in her eyes. Nemo slid the sword from his back, handing it to her. Utena blinked in surprise, "I thought you said you couldn't help me?"

"I may not be able to fight with you, but my blade will always protect you, even if I can't wield it." He slid his hand down her cheek, then as if by magic, produced a rose, it's petals red, then pink, then white. He placed it over her heart, kissing her forehead. "Be brave Utena, I will be with you."

Smiling through her tears, she turned to face her fear once again. Akio was still coming, as if she had only been there a moment. Gripping the hilt of the sword, she drew it swiftly from it's sheath. "Nemo..."

Akio stepped back , reeling as if he had been struck. His eyes opened wide, his mouth agape. He no longer saw Utena standing before him, but Dios. "No! That power should have been denied of you here! I will not let you win!"

"You can't take away my hope, Akio. As long as someone needs me, I will fight!" Utena lunged, a cry of battle soaring from her lips.

Steel met steel as they locked in combat, each seeking the other's heart. Akio drew back, fear working it's way into his depths. He struck with the fierceness of a cornered animal, trying desperately to defeat his foe. With each stroke, Utena grew bolder and more powerful, her each swing threatening to break Akio's grip.

_My vengeance, it-it's breaking! There's only one way to win this! _He drove his blade forward, intent on impaling her, even as her sword fell upon him.

Utena gasped, staring down at her chest, where Akio's blade had buried itself to the hilt. The fallen Prince began to laugh, but it died upon his lips as he felt the hilt within his own breast shatter under Utena's sword. His eyes met hers, then clouded over as he fell.

For several long moments, she looked at him, then down at the blade within herself. She slowly began to realize that no blood flowed from her wound, nor was there any pain. Gripping the hilt, she drew Akio's sword free, seeing it covered in blood, yet none came from her chest.

"What's going on here?"


	13. Slip the Dogs of War

Chapter 13

Slip the Dogs of War

Saionji didn't feel right about any of this, like a man stumbling through a dark night in a place he's never been. Shadows danced about him, the men moving like phantom figures, fading in and out of reality around him. He felt trapped, as if a prison had been erected about him, one that moved with him, allowing others to pass in and out of it, in and out of his sight. His world had become the inside of a little bubble, everything beyond denied to him.

"It's the burden of leadership." He heard a voice say through the myriad of floating images and sounds. "He's still getting used to the feeling."

_What is this? Is it really the feeling of leadership? Am I just confused by the power of being in charge of others? I don't understand, why am I so disoriented? Shouldn't I be leading these men? Touga would be, so would Juri. Why am I struggling to do what I know they would be?_

"My Prince, the soldiers are awaiting their orders. The enemy has assembled his forces on the far sides of the field." Meirk whispered into his right ear.

"We shouldn't give them a chance to prepare. Charge our forces, and break their lines. Follow the main force with another to keep them from cutting the men off." Saionji replied, still feeling that gut-wrenching feeling within himself.

Kriem approached her sister, a worried look plain upon her pallid face. "He doesn't know, or else he lacks the power we thought he had." She whispered.

"Are you suggesting we bring Conall out to lead the battle?" Meirk asked, a flair of irritation in her voice.

"I'm not questioning your choice, but Prince Saionji doesn't seem focused on the task at hand, nor does he seem to understand the power of his name." She responded, trying to placate her irritable sister.

"He is perfectly ready for what I-we have planned." Meirk cut off her answer, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"If you say so... sister."

A commotion broke out, turning their attention back to the men moving along. Saionji had stopped, a hand resting upon his head. Nearby a drum beat loudly. The sisters began moving closer to him, Meirk's frustrations and Kriem's worries showing clearly on their livening faces.

Unable to break away from the feeling that something was missing, Saionji gritted his teeth. _Why does it feel so empty? What have I lost? No not what, who! Someone special to me, someone I was-I was-_

_After all, I'm only a peasant girl, and you, you're a Prince!_

_Those words, so desperate, so lonely. I was protecting her, but she's not here. Ambrosia!? Where is she? I have to find her!_ Breaking away from the column preparing to charge, Saionji turned and looked back up the hill. With all the speed his long legs could muster, he charged back up the rocky tor. The wind started to rise, picking up on either side of him, and dividing all that stood in his way. Not man nor material remained before, and even the height of the hill became little to him. Driven by a single thought, he pressed on heedlessly.

A rock, unforeseen, caught his foot. His balance lost, Saionji plunged into the earth, his face bruised and clothes muddied by the trampled ground. Pushing himself up, he continued on, hardly noticing his fall.

Down below, Meirk watched in fury as he disappeared up the hill, leaving her ambitions behind. A thousand silent curses whirled in her mind as she stood, her body quivering with barely contained rage.

"What just happened!? Why did he leave!?" She demanded.

Kriem walked up, examining the ground. She picked up a pair of threads and held them to the sky, looking closely at each. "Here is the problem, sister."

"What!?" Meirk snarled, looking over at the tiny cords. When she saw them, however, she could hardly believe it. The threads she had tied about Saionji's neck were numerous, good threads, but there was another, and it was still trailing after him. She has made many connections, but they were weak, like tissue. She hadn't counted on his ambitions to be so small. The last thread was different. It looked as weak as her threads had proven to be, but as Kriem rubbed it, it's true nature came out. Hidden under the frail cord, was a steel wire, solid and strong.

"We made a mistake, Meirk." Kriem said, her voice low and sad. "We didn't understand their bond."

"We don't need to understand it." Meirk retorted angrily. "I won't let that tramp have a hold on him, even if I must crush his mind to do it!" She started back down the hill to carry out her plans, not even bothering to speak to Kriem again. Alone on the hillside, she watched her furious sister leave. A single drop of water landed on the grass.

***

Nemo looked about at the army assembled before him, nodding in approval at the sight of the men. They stood in perfect ranks, silent and precise. People were looking out of their homes, watching the Prince and his men as they advanced through the streets.

_The army is well trained. We'll lead them into the city, then trap them there. A column will fall around the back, forcing them to try to open their supply routes. We shall fall on them on all sides, until they can't possibly fight back._

A long conveyor belt ran from Nemo's army up to one of the empty towers, where it was loaded with books and envelopes, which were returned down the belt's length to the formation. As the men reached the old, ruined fringes of the town, Nemo began issuing commands to each force, as if he had been doing it for many years.

"Force one, take your men and integrate into the houses along the north edge. After we draw their force into the streets, fall in behind them and entrap them."

"Force six, take positions in the north and south buildings. After their main attack force enters, open fire on any units still on the hill. Keep them from making any rescue attempts."

"Forces two and three, you will hit their flanks after they enter the city. Don't reveal yourselves too early, or the trap will fail."

"Force four, attack their lines, then fall back into the city in a hasty retreat. Drop your weapons behind you to convince them it's a rout. Retrieve secondary ones after passing Force seven."

"Force seven, you hold the line along Alamo Street. Allow Force four to pass you, then hold off the enemy retaliation until they can reinforce you again."

"Force five, take the upper floors of houses, and use them to fire on the enemy along Teutoburg Street."

"Once the trap is sprung, apprehend any leaders. We want to behead the serpent quickly, and leave the corpse to rot in the sun." Nemo could feel his confidence rising. They wouldn't stand a chance against his army, and he would punish them personally for trying to take his land.

Suddenly, a terrible pain erupted in his chest, sending him staggering to his knees. His breath became labored, weak. He gripped at it tightly, as if trying to tear into his throbbing body. The pain grew sharper and more terrible, rending at his mind. Flashes, distorted images, shadows and spots spinning around him.

_What's happening to me!? _He stared at the ground wide eyed, gasping, trying to pull more air into his chest. _I feel like someone tore out my..._

"Aaaagh!" Gripping his hands with his head, he reeled backwards, his mind going black around him. _I-I'm dying! Somebody help me! Anyone!_ Images began flashing through his mind, Ragnarok, Conall, Ryan, his father, Saionji, Anthy, a woman he felt he knew, Utena. He tried to grip on to those familiar faces, the people he knew, the world he knew, but he started to slip again. Darkness began filling his mind, drowning him like a man being sucked underwater by a strong current, life running out as quickly as air to one pulled under. The panic flowed out of him, replaced by an unnatural calm. _This is it, I'm going to die here, aren't I? Strange, it seems so much easier than I thought it would be..._

As the world closed in around him, crushing him with it's weight, he saw a glimmering light. A hand flew out of the darkness, pushing between the stifling forces that threatened to destroy him. Reaching up, he felt his fingers take those of the person on the other side. The pain suddenly flooded back, and for a moment, he wanted to die, for his suffering to end. _That wonderful calm, no more pain. No, I want to go back, let go of me, let me die._

"Don't leave me! Not yet! I still need you!" A voice called out from the depths of his soul.

_That voice, so sad, lonely... They will be alone when I'm gone, alone again... They're reaching out to me, they want me back! I... I... No! I can't abandon them!_ A tiny fire ignited again within Nemo's breast, growing and surging with new vitality.

To his surprise, he felt himself growing stronger, light returning to him. _I can't... die yet..! Not like this... someone believes in me... I have to fight for them... I have to escape this..! _Nemo pulled harder and harder, grasping at the edge of the ledge from which he dangled perilously. As the hand drew him up he caught the rocks, pulling himself upward. Then as he lifted himself over that edge, over the threshold of death, he saw her smiling, tear-streaked face again.

_Utena..._

***

For many long moments, Utena sat there, her eyes fixed on the bloodstained blade. She couldn't bring herself to understand what had happened. She should have been mortally wounded, dying. Reaching a hand into her jacket, and the shirt beyond, she felt for the stab against her bare skin, but there was nothing. No mark, no blood, no sign she had ever been injured. Thousands of explanations fluttered through her head, but each was rejected. There was no way she knew that a blade could strike yet fail to cut.

Movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention back to the boy who had given her the sword. _Nemo._ She got up and walked back to him, thoughts racing through her head. She had so many questions, yet felt unable to voice them. Deciding to take the easier course, she held the sword back to him, doing her best to appear unshaken.

He regarded the weapon for long moments, then took it from her hand. Sliding it back into it's sheath, he slung it over his back, and began stumbling wearily off down the stairs of the Dueling Arena.

"Hey wait!" Utena spoke up suddenly, jogging after the child. "I have to ask, how did you get here, and why?"

"I'm always with you, Utena." The boy replied, stopping as he looked back at her. "I've just looked different."

"What?" Utena blinked. "When?" She found herself staring not at the child, but at a pink haired little girl with a bright smile.

"Do you remember?" Again, the figure before her ceased to be, but stood tall, with white clothes and lavender hair that rippled like waves. His voice was like Akio's, but somehow kinder, like one that cared. "How about now?"

Utena's hand drifted unconsciously over her mouth, realization flooding into her. "But if all three of you are the same, then you're really a part of all of us?"

"Of course," it was the boy again, "we are the nobility of the Princes, and all true Princes have a part of us with them. Some have lost it," he looked over at the crumpled form of Akio, "while others have just forgotten."

"Like Nemo and I." Utena whispered to herself.

The young Nemo nodded, smiling. "Now you understand who we really are."

"Wait, if you're Nemo's nobility too, could you tell me what's wrong with him?"

The boy nodded again.

"What is it? I have to help him, but I don't understand what happened."

"Follow me, you're answers will come."

The mouth of the great stone wolf upon the mountainside stood open before them, leading into darkness, but Nemo continued to walk in. Utena followed, her eyes dancing back and forth at the glittering stone of the cave.

"This place, it's full of memories..." She said absently, her tone hushed. Hanging from the walls, a series of pocket watches, each set at a different time. As minutes passed, they ticked, but only once, never growing faster, but always in unity.

Noticing a light ahead, Utena looked down the tunnel. A doorway stood open, but after walking in the dark, she could barely stand to look into it. Several steps passed, and she found herself in a room with a high vaulted stone ceiling.

"Oh, Utena! We were hoping you would show up soon." Clearing her eyes, Utena saw Anthy sitting in a chair, a pleasant smile upon her lips.

"Anthy? What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story, so I'll tell you later." Anthy giggled, gesturing for Utena to take the chair next to hers. "Please, come and listen, I think you should hear this."

"Hear wha-" She stopped, blinking as she noticed another here as well. The woman was aged, yet beautiful, like a tree that stood for hundreds of years. She sat serenely with her hands folded in her lap, her eyes reflecting a lifetime of experiences, both wonderful and sad. Her hair was a bright, warm russet, tied carefully back with a small brown ribbon.

"Are you Utena Tenjou?" The woman asked, her eyes seeming to take the young lady in.

"Yes, that's my name." Utena could feel her cheeks flushing. _What is this feeling? She seems so familiar, like a place of safety. I want to be near her, to feel that warmth. Why?_ Sitting down in the chair, she could almost feel the embrace of the woman's presence, guarding her, giving her a wonderful sense of peace.

"My son has told me many things about you. You're a very special girl, Utena."

"Your son? Do I know him?" She wasn't sure whether to be surprised or glad.

"Very well, probably better than I do." She answered softly.

"You're..." Utena felt her voice catch in her throat, unable to speak. She didn't need to. The woman nodded, smiling demurely.

"Let me tell you a story Utena, about the Old Way, a Prince, and a love that challenged the world."

***

Out upon the ledge that led up to the Dueling Arena, a pair of wolves trotted, their noses high and searching. A movement ahead drew the attention of one, who was quickly followed by the other. Coming over to where Michael and Jim had fallen, they began nuzzling the men, slowly bringing them back to consciousness.

"Wha-where are we?" Michael asked, still half dazed.

"You've been wounded. Lie still, and let us tend it." One of the wolves spoke softly, then began licking at the cut upon his back.

"Where's my friend, Jim Nettle? Is he okay?"

"My companion is seeing to him right now. Just relax, your friend will be fine."

"Alright, if you say so."

Minutes later, the wolves turned to speak to each other, leaving the two men propped up against the rocks. The first spoke, concern in his voice. "They should have been dead, but somehow they're still alive."

"An oath? They were wounded by a Prince's sword, that is certain." The second replied.

"Perhaps, but we must ask them what happened. The Princes need to be found soon."

"There is also the scents too. If the blood we smelled did belong to Prince Nemo, he could be wounded."

"Let's hope not. If anything happened to him, Captain Ragnarok will be furious."

Nodding in agreement, they turned back to their wounded charges. "We need to ask you two what happened here, and where the Princes have gone."


	14. A Tale of the Past

Chapter 14

A Tale of the Past

"Once upon a time, there was darkness over the face of the world. Good things were taken from the world, because all feared to oppose the darkness. The beauty that we know was not, and men struggled to survive, carrying their families from day to day."

"Then one day, that changed. Dios looked upon his children, struggling through the lives they lived, suffering, and decided he would watch it no more. Reaching down, he touched a simple boy, and told him 'Take up your sword, my son. Face the giants that crush you. Drive the darkness back. I will be with you.'"

The boy nodded, his eyes bright with hope. He went out, facing the darkness and the oppression and all the horrors of the world. The creatures of darkness laughed at him, mocking him. 'You are a boy, what can you do against the Darkness?'"

"He answered them, 'I am not much, but Dios stands with me! I will crush you!' The creatures roared with glee, sending their greatest fighter out to face him. To their astonishment, the boy slew the fighter, cutting off it's head."

"Seeing a force in him they could not hope to face, they fled in terror, unable to stand against him. The people, also witnessing his victory, celebrated in the streets, hailing him as a hero. They called him a Prince, one who stands for others, leading them through darkness."

"He was but the first, and many others took the mighty role on as well. Soon there were many who had touched on the Power of Dios, some Princes, their servants and friends, the Knights, and amongst others, those who were denied power, but took it for themselves. They were called, Witches, those who tried to lead noble Princes and Knights astray."

"Something else changed too. Dios, unwilling to control the destinies of those he watched over, allowed the spirits he gave to his champions to change. They took on the appearance and personality of those they were with, often becoming just like them. He knew some would fall, and allowed his power, Eternity, to flow out of those who corrupted themselves. Thus, no Prince of Eternity, of Dios, could fall to corruption, even if his mortal self fell."

"Only those who were pure, able to see Eternity with untainted eyes could be Princes. That purity is a choice, but the one who attains it must give up the corruption of the world to find it. This is the heart of the Old Way, the way of those who have touched the Power of Dios."

The kind woman stopped with a long breath, then smiled at the two eager girls sitting before her. "We will take a short break. Think on what you have learned." She rose and walked towards a passage in the wall. "I will be back to tell you more soon."

"Wow," Utena whispered, almost as if the air had become heavy, "I had no idea that all of this had to do with the duels."

"Yes," Anthy replied, smiling at her friend, "much of what we've been through is because of the Old Way, and the implications of those who break it."

"What do you mean?" Utena asked, looking over at Anthy.

"You know how she said that the spirits changed to be like their owners?"

"Yeah, you're referring to the spirit that was with Akio, right?"

Anthy nodded, "That spirit had lost one of Dios' most precious powers, the ability to forgive. That's why the Swords of Hatred always attacked me, and possibly the one thing that kept him from Eternity." She paused, looking down. "He wouldn't forgive me for my mistake, and though he wanted Eternity, he wouldn't give up the world he controlled to have it."

Utena hugged, her friend. "I'm sorry, Anthy. It must have been hard to know that."

"Harder than anything I have ever done..." Anthy answered quietly, her voice trailing off into the cavern's stillness. For several long minutes, they sat alone in the room.

***

"As it happened," the lady continued, suddenly sitting before them again, "two brothers found themselves in a terrible dispute over a girl, whom they had saved from a dragon. They quarreled with each other night and day, trying to justify their love over the other's. One of them, however, had let anger flow into his heart, forgetting his love for his brother. Finally fed up, he drew his sword, and threatened to kill him if he refused to back down."

"Unable to set his heart aside, the noble brother drew his blade as well, trying desperately to convince him of his folly. The angry Prince refused, speaking spitefully against his estranged kin. 'She will be my Bride, or no one's!'"

"Finally incapable of holding him off anymore, the noble brother stabbed his wrathful sibling in the chest, leaving him dying upon the ground. 'Curse you! Curse you to be hated for your nobility!'"

"Broken and sorrowful at the loss of his beloved brother to anger, he cried out to Dios for an answer. Dios, saddened as well for the fallen Prince, established a code by which all things were to be resolved. 'Only those who give blood willingly may enter the sacred grounds, and only that such troubles be resolved.' said Dios. 'Each shall be given a rose, to be placed over the heart. This is the heart of it's bearer, and when removed, the issue is resolved.'"

"Many more things he said, but I will not repeat them now. Nonetheless, this was the birth of the Duels, and the foundation by which all things must be weighed. Those favored by Dios will triumph, and the result of the Duel final. Many other things came from that fateful Duel as well, the Bride being the one you are most familiar with."

"I have a question?" Utena spoke up, raising her hand like a girl in school. At a nod from their host, she asked. "How come we can enter the Dueling Arenas then? We don't have to give blood to enter."

At this statement, Anthy looked away with a shiver. Utena turned to her in surprise. "Anthy, is everything alright?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine, miss Utena." Utena was about to press further, when her question was answered.

"What do you have in your pocket?" The woman asked, her eyes sad.

Reaching into her pocket, Utena withdrew the Rose Crest. "Oh this? It's a ring we wear to get into the Dueling Arenas..." Realization flowed into her, and she looked at the ring again.

"That ring, and the crest it bears, is stained in the blood of one hundred dead. It can open the gates, for much blood has stained it's nobility." The woman's eyes became even more downcast as her voice dropped to a tremble.

She quickly rose, departing the room once again. Her hand covered over her face as she disappeared down the corridor. Utena was about to go after her, then paused, looking back to Anthy.

Deciding it was better to stay with her friend, she rested a comforting hand on Anthy's quivering shoulder. "It's alright, Anthy. I'm here."

Facing her friend, Anthy wiped at her tearstained cheeks. "I'm so sorry Utena, many things happened that I am to blame for."

"There there, whatever happened is in the past, and I'll forgive you, no matter what it was."

Anthy nodded sullenly, her eyes losing focus. She spoke again, hesitantly. "I have a story to share with you too. Do you remember the Nimuro Memorial Hall..?"

***

The woman came back once again, still looking shaken, but now in control of herself. Sitting down calmly, she looked to the two girls again. "The last part of my tale, is about a boy, a Prince raised under the Old Way, and the love he would give anything for."

"Born of compassion and freedom, he was a boy they would call righteous, for his might was not in his strength or stature, but in his heart that contended for others, that fought for those who had nothing. He was a strong willed boy, determined to what he set himself to do." Utena couldn't help but notice a maternal warmth in the words of the woman, the flow of one who loves only as a mother can. She felt a longing within herself, a desire that called some deeper nature than she had known before. _I want to feel that way, to know that pure love._

The woman looked straight at her, a smile hidden in her eyes. She continued to speak, as if nothing had happened. "At that time, stories had spread about another Prince, who had fallen when a Witch took hold of his heart, and contended against the world for it." Anthy began to shiver. "They didn't want their precious son to fall, and so pledged him to the daughter of the Kingdom of the Rose, a beautiful place across the sea. The boy himself was enamored by the pledge, like those in the stories of great Princes past. He started to write letters to the girl, in hopes of meeting her someday."

"His world changed suddenly, when his mother fell ill. The doctors came, they tried to help her, they brought all their machines, all their wealth of technology to save her. It wasn't enough. The boy was sad, but his father even more so. Broken by their failure, and losing the compassion in his life, he lost the desire to uphold freedom as well. He took away the new things of the world, the things that failed his wife. He became angry and violent, only seeking to control more."

"One day, a Witch came, hearing of his enraged suffering, his desire for control. She promised him that she could give him anything he wanted, even his beloved. The cost would be high, but with the power of Eternity, he could take whatever he wanted. All he had to do, was sacrifice something Eternal. Somewhere in his mind, he began to conceive of a plan. He would make use of his son's love, and ensure it grew stronger."

"He decided the best way to make his son more devoted, and the girl who was to be his Bride more desperate, was to make sure she had no one else. His best men were sent, and killed the girl's parents."

Crash! Utena sprang from her chair, throwing it to the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please, no more! Not right now..." Turning aside, she walked slowly away, her arms wrapped over her shoulders.

Anthy came up next to her, rubbing her shoulder gently with her dainty hand. Anthy opened her mouth to speak, but then thought better of it. For several long minutes, all that could be heard in the quiet cavern were Utena's sobs, echoing in the stillness.

***

Several minutes passed before the two girls sat down again. Utena's sleeve was wet. Anthy's hand trembled. A box of tissue sat empty on a small table. Many tears had been cried. The kind woman resumed, her voice a little softer than before.

"The young Prince fell into sorrow at the news, and became even more broken to hear the girl had disappeared. He walked out to the sea every day, watching the water for some sign of his precious girl, hoping somehow he would find the truth."

"'What bothers you, my son?' His father asked one day."

"'What happened to her, to her parents!?' He demanded. Though many mysteries can never be explained, the way a child knows the truth may be one of the greatest. Deep within his heart, he knew the answer to his question. His father became angry with him, telling the boy that what was happening was for his own good."

"Shocked at his father's confession, something he didn't want to believe, the Prince ran. His father tried to stop him, to keep him from leaving, but the boy refused. He cast himself into the sea, followed by his loyal Knight. The Knight tried to bring him back, but the boy was adamant. He would find the girl, protect her, help her. Seeing no argument would turn the boy's mind, the Knight swam with him, and together they defied the sea."

"Furious to see her plan go awry, the Witch called down every curse she knew against the brave Prince. She didn't realize it, but one of her powerful spells did catch him. He had left his home, his identity behind for the sake of the girl. That power stole away his name, and along with it, the memories he held so dear. He was lost, without a purpose, unable to understand what had happened to him. There was one thing the Witch's magic could not take away, however, the image of a beautiful girl. He held on to that one thing, his heart seeking her with one purpose, to hold on to that promise he made. He would protect her, help her, even at the cost of his life."

Utena looked down, lost in thought. _He did all of that, for me? He threw himself time and again into harm's way, just to protect me?_ She fought to keep new tears from springing forth, her heart beating.

"Uh, I have a few questions." Utena said, looking up.

"Of course my dear child." The woman answered kindly.

"You talked about the Old Way, and the Duels."

"Yes?"

"How come when I was stabbed in the last Duel, I didn't get hurt?" Utena straightened up, a chill running down her back.

"Who's heart did you have?" The woman asked.

"Who's heart? That's right, you said the rose we wear is our heart." Utena answered, realization flowing into her. The woman nodded. "I wasn't wearing my heart, I was wearing Nemo's! But wouldn't that mean..." The woman nodded again, this time much more solemnly.

Utena rose swiftly, panic beginning to run across her face. "I have to get to him! He could be seriously hurt!"

"You won't be able to help him yet." The woman said calmly.

"What do you mean!?" She whipped around, looking back at the woman. "How do I help him? Please tell me!" Utena begged, tears breaking free once again.

"He needs his name. As long as he is no one, he can't truly be himself again."

"What is his name?" Utena asked, desperation welling up in her voice.

"Look into his eyes, they will tell you."


End file.
